


Inked Skin

by Moonfishh



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Anxiety, Bokuaka - Freeform, Fluff, Haikyuu - Freeform, Happy Ending, KuroKen - Freeform, M/M, Multi Chapter, Other, Soulmates, Writing on the Body, au where whatever you draw/write on your body shows up on your soulmate's body, haikyuu soulmate au, haikyuu writing soulmate au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 48,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22239958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonfishh/pseuds/Moonfishh
Summary: A haikyuu au where whatever your soulmate writes or draws on their skin, shows up on yours as well.A bokuaka fic with tension, confusion, fluff and more. Kuroken on the side.“What do I even write though?” Bokuto tapped his chin.“Tell him you're the best spiker in the prefecture”.“Think I should!?” Bokutos eyes gleamed with excitement.“No, I don't think the first thing you should tell your soulmate is a lie” Kuroo snorted.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 113
Kudos: 546





	1. Sorry to bother you

Bokuto Koutarou. Wild, enthusiastic, a free spirit and charming if in his own quirky way. In his younger years it hadn't bothered him that the world seemed to revolve around one thing and one thing only. Soul mates.

Not much was known around soul mates. It had been tried to scientifically explain, but it ended up being unexplainable. The information everybody seemed to perceive from this was that the universe had created a destined partner for every person and they were linked together.

Drawing happened to be the riveting link that drew two people together and your own skin turned into a freely useable canvas. Draw or write on yourself, and it'll appear on your soul mate in the exact same place. 

This skill transpired around the age 16, and because of that, it wasn't common for some parents to reinforce the rule that their children shouldn't talk to their soulmate until a more suitable and mature age. These parents were usually strict and controlling. Stranger danger was displayed through the news and on shows designated for these soul mate situations.

In some rare cases adults and teenagers alike had been kidnapped and been drawn on, writing to lure their soulmate to a location where they would also be kidnapped. This world was not all butterflies and daises, but for the most part it was.

70% of romance stories were soulmates. A good 50% of tv shows were soulmates. Heck, it was a wonder how Bokuto even found out that soulmates seemed to be a critical part in civilization with his head in the clouds. Of course he found out through volleyball. 

Bokuto had been energetic and happy, spiking volleyballs one day when he happened to see that one of the setters had something inkling down his leg. It was black and spreading fast, like a virus.

“Watch out, there's a giant spider on you!” he had yelled, pointing down at the setter.

The gym has panicked, their team in hysterics as their eyes darted to watch giant black marks sprawl down his leg. They had later figured out that it wasn't a bug, but rather their soulmate trying and failing at drawing a dragon on their calf.

Bokuto had laughed, solidly clapped their setter on the back, who had been smiling in wonder as the coach reminded him that he shouldn't write anything back if his parents had told him not to. On the walk home, Bokuto had immediately decided that at this dawning time, he also had a soulmate, and he should try to contact him. Maybe they could be friends!

Under the small lamp light of his room, deep down in the night, he wrote a small 'hi there!' on his leg. When there was no instant reply, he shrugged and guessed that it was too late to get an answer. But upon awaking in the morning and seeing no inky writing next to his own, he pouted and sighed heavily before deciding it wasn't worth his time. Only volleyball was! Apart from...he might try again in an hour or two...yea he would.

And he did...and again there was no reply. It was fine, it didn't worry him. Sometimes people had soul mates of different age and his must just be younger than him! That means his soulmate hadn't come of age to be able to see his writing yet. He could wait.

And so he waited and waited, until a year passed with no answers. It wasn't like he minded waiting so long. He had his friends, albeit they had all had soul mates write back to them, apart from Kuroo. He was Bokutos best friend and their bond was only strengthened as Kuroo had neither had one splotch of ink appear on his skin apart from the ones he put there himself. 

One cold december day Kuroo and him had been building a half sloppy snowman just outside his house when he felt a tingle crawl up his arm.

“Agh, dude, there's something in my clothes” Bokuto had wailed, rubbing at his arm over the top of his winter coat. He narrowed his eyes at his friend, suspecting he had dumped something down his top, unnoticed.

“Just shake it out. It's probably a leaf” Kuroo snorted, adding button eyes to their snowman, which was precariously starting to lean left.

“A leaf, in winter?” Bokuto had mocked back. Kuroo sneered and stuck out his tongue.

But he tried, he really did. He pulled open his sleeve and he shook, he ran around, his coat flapping in the small breeze, he even stuck his hand up there, scooping and grabbing at nothing. Until...until it stopped.

“Paranoia” Kuroo had suggested as they pulled off their giant fluffy boots at the doorstep.

“Mmm, maybe” Bokuto had hummed as they stepped into the warmth of his house. He scrunched his face and wiggled his cold red nose, trying to rid of the numbness.

“Ill, go make cocoa for your poor frazzled mind” Kuroo sung as he made his way to the kitchen, familiar enough with Bokutos house enough to do so.

Bokuto had grunted in disagreement as he shrugged on out his coat, and then he saw it.

It was simple. Just a small daffodil on his left forearm. Its petals extended beautifully, marked with details. Smooth clean left by the pen ink of his soul mate. The only thing to come to mind was that whoever had drawn it, wasn't half bad at art. Not like Bokutos berated fruit bowl paintings in class.

“K-Kuroo!” Bokuto yelped gleefully. “Get in here right now!”. He jumped on the spot a few times and Kuroo popped around the corner.

“Did you find the meaning of life in the 2 minutes I was gone” Kuroo arched his eyebrow at him.

Bokuto would of scoffed, threw something back if it was a normal conversation, but instead he ended up nearly punching Kuroo in the face, eager to show him the drawing. 

“Bo! What the-”. The ravens words trailed off as his eyes drew to the small flower on his arm, leaving his mouth wide and hanging open.

“Neat! Right” Bokuto marveled over it, poking his arm a few times. 

“I dont remember you being that good at art. Its like the mystery of how they built the pyramids” Kuroo grinned, stepping over to also get a better gander at the drawing. It was the size of a glass coaster and would of made a decently good tattoo if colour had been interspersed.

“You're just grumpy cause your soulmate-”.  
“Yea, yea, I get it” Kuroo interrupted, waving a hand. “Let's write to them!”.

“You're a genius” Bokuto hooted as they made their way over to the couch.

“Im not denying that, but I'm pretty sure writing back is what you're supposed to do” Kuroo chuckled.

“What do I even say though?” Bokuto tapped his chin.

“Tell them you're the best spiker in the prefecture”.

“Think I should!?” Bokutos eyes gleamed with excitement.

“No, I don't think the first thing you should tell your soulmate is a lie” Kuroo snorted.

“Hey!” Bokuto grumbled.

“Whatever. Be right back, i'll finish the cocoa” Kuroo laughed, slapping his shoulder. 

“Im supposed to be exiling you” Bokuto argued.

In return he got a wiggle of fingers as a half assed wave, and Kuroo descended back into the kitchen. Bokuto huffed before wedging his arm between the couch cushions to find the remote. He gave a sound of triumph as his hand clasped around it and he immediately switched it to some channel playing an action movie.

Only then did he look down at his arm, mouth twisting around in thought. He brought a finger to his mouth and then rubbed it over the drawing. So he really couldn't get rid of it unless his soul mate did. That was good, because the daffodil was pretty, and his soul mate surely would be pretty too.

Suddenly, it made sense what he should write. Really, after all this time, he just had to ask.

Leaning over to the coffee table he grabbed a pen and picked a clean spot just to the left of the flower drawing, carefully not to edge too close to it. In large round letters he wrote

“Was it your birthday recently?”.

He tried to keep the letters neat, tried to give a good impression, but it turned out the harder he tried, the messier the letters actually looked. 

His soul mate surely would of just come of age, and was excited to meet Bokuto. Who wouldn't be excited to, he was excited to meet everyone else.

Bokuto looked up to find that Kuroo was back, two mugs in hand and a bag of marshmallows. He eagerly grabbed one from his hand, bringing it to his mouth with a thanks.

“You write to them yet?” Kuroo asked, popping a powdery marshmallow in his mouth.

“Hmgwfhh” Bokuto said, mouth full of candy. 

Kuroo rolled his eyes.

Bokuto just showed his friend his arm instead.

“Smart” Kuroo nodded, thoughtfully, glancing over the words.

Bokuto swallowed his mouthful.  
“Im so excited dude! I cant wait to find out who she...er... or he is!”.

They had talked about this situation before, having a male soulmate. It wasn't something they technically minded, and they hadn't really developed much of a mindset towards anything other than volleyball. Definitely not girls or dating....or boys and dating. You get it.

“Hey look” Kuroo grinned, pointing at his arm.

Bokuto snatched his arm to hit chest with fervor and looked down at the small letters being written just under his.

It was only a small 'yes' , but it set Bokutos heartbeat faster with excitement and he looked up to share a smile with Kuroo.

“What now, what now?”. Bokuto tapped his foot on the floor, trying to release his unused energy. He felt overjoyed that after all this time, he was finally getting answers back. Kuroo shook his head with a sly grin.

“Its up to you now, they're your soul mate” Kuroo laughed, and he propped his feet up on the table, grabbing for the remote to turn up the volume.

Bokuto huffed an exasperated sigh as his mind raced, 100 thoughts a second on what to write flowing through his head. He knew he shouldn't be so keen, he could probably end up tattooing his whole arm with questions at the moment. So instead he settled with an easy

'Really! When was it'.

Bokuto twiddled the pen, spinning it between his fingers as he hummed happily, smiling down at his arm. The small tingly feeling ran across his skin as they wrote back, print smaller than Bokutos large messy letters.

'Today actually' 

Bokuto gawped.  
“uooooooh!”.

Kuroo snickered beside him, eyes still on the TV as he sipped his cocoa slowly.  
Bokuto pulled his gaze down and straightened his pen. It was time to go big or go home.

'Whats your name ?' he wrote with a big fat question mark to end it.

It was only a few seconds after that a tingly feeling in his arm ripped up and through his skin. It didn't hurt, but he dropped his pen in surprise as scribbles crossed over all of the writing. 

“Wha-” Bokuto flinched as the ink spread across his arm. 

Kuroo leaned over to peer at what was so interesting, and also raised his eyebrows at the sudden occurrence. The feeling only stopped when every last letter had been covered in black ink, unreadable and looking like a giant stain in his skin. Even the pretty daffodil had been hastily scribbled over.

“The flower” Bokuto whispered, sadly.

Kuroo snorted in disbelief as he leaned back.  
“Jesus, what did you say to piss them off” he laughed.

“I-I dunno” Bokuto tilted his head, rubbing over his forearm. Just as suspected, it didn't come off at all. Why would it. 

“Should I try write back?” he asked, confused.

Kuroo only grimaced.  
“Maybe lay off for a while”.

Bokuto nodded delicately, still baffled at the situation. Had he truly been in the wrong there? Its fine though, it'll always be fine. Just like he told himself a year ago.

Later that night in bed, he looked down to find that the large sprawling of pen had been washed away, along with his soul mates writing, only leaving Bokutos words, looking lonely and bemusing.

He hurried to the sink to wash off his writing and then walked back to his bedroom, sharpie in hand.  
He wrote a small 'You okay?'. 

Seconds later it was scribbled over again, black pen harsh and shutting out his question. He nearly fell backwards off his bed, surprised. His soul mate was obviously mad at something. 

The next day when walking to school, he fetched a pen out of his school bag, testing the ink before placing it to his skin. He just needed to start fresh, a new start for a new day.

'Do you play sport? I like volleyball!' he wrote.

Minutes later it was scribbled out. Bokuto huffed, looking down at his arm in annoyance. Now it was personal. What was so wrong with him asking a simple innocent question like that. Soul mates? Destined pair? 

In his mind, his destined pair would be someone who loved sport, suika ba ice blocks and action movies. Someone who would draw little volleyballs over his arms or maybe write a little “you can do it” before his tests or a big game to encourage him. Not...whatever this was!?

For the next few days, everything that Bokuto wrote was inked over, crossed over, hastily scrawled upon and blocked out. It felt worse than botching a spike, worse than failing any exam, just...bad.  
He began to feel mad, wrote a few polite but angry accusations asking why. He didn't see the point if anything he said was just going to be ignored, but he still wanted to know. Again, it was written over in black pen.

One day though, he was feeling in a particular good mood when he decided he'd try and replicate the daffodil the first day his soul mate had written to him. He admitted that it was a little sloppy, the petals weren't clean lines, the stem a little wonky, but it was good try, even for him.

When he felt the tingle on his arm, he immediately rolled up his sleeve to see that a small line had started across his drawing, but had stopped half way, almost hesitant in wether to do so. A minute later, the line continued and the scribbling resumed. It consumed his drawing and destroyed Bokutos heart. 

He refused to draw on his arm. Just for a while...until he at least got his confidence back.

From then on he watched for any signs of neat handwriting, small and graceful across his arm, watched for small drawings or sat in anticipation, trying to feel the start of a tingle, the start of a letter, a word across his skin, but he felt nothing.

Some days, he found that paint flecks sometimes lay across his fingers, and other days they would be drenched up to his elbows with multiples of colours. He realized with a start that his soul mate must be a painter. But it didn't break his solitude, and he refrained from writing anywhere on his body.

One spring day, Bokuto and Kuroo were lying on the grass near school. A large willow tree hung above them, scattering the ground in shade and Bokuto held his arms infront of him as he watched an occasional red or orange fly across his hand, only to be wiped off a minute later. He so desperately wanted more knowledge, to find out who this person was.

“Thats pretty cool” Kuroo noted, watching as some yellow smidged against the side of Bokutos hand. He guessed it was from where his soulmate was holding the paintbrush.

“Its not cool when you cant do anything about it” he pouted, laying his arms down to the sides.

Shadows danced along the tree leaves, sun poking and shining its way through the branches at times, luminescent and bright.

“Well, at least you have a soulmate” Kuroo sighed, and he tucked his arms under his head.

Bokutos pout vanished, and instead his eyebrows furrowed, head turning to the side as to face his friend. “Dude, you don't know that”.

Kuroos gaze flickered to him. His eyes were sad, a ghost of the happy sly person he usually was. It was a practiced facade he portrayed when it came to this topic. He smiled gently.

“Its either I have no soul mate, or they're dead” he said plainly, as if his words didn't hold so much tension, so much weight.

“Or maybe they're shy. You've tried talking to them, right?”.

“Yes, I've tried fucking talking to them” Kuroo snapped.

Bokutos eyes flickered with sudden hurt, and it took a moment for Kuroo to realize his mistake.

“Well, sorry” Bokuto spouted sarcastically, turning his head back up to the sky.

“Were both in bad predicaments here, Bo” Kuroos chest heaved heavily with an exhale.

“One of them is worse than the others” Bokuto huffed.

“I swear to god if you're implying yours is worse” Kuroo begun.

“No, god of course not” Bokuto shook his head vigorously.  
“I really sympithasize with you man”.

“Sympathize?” Kuroo asked with a small laugh.

“Yea that” Bokuto grinned. 

Kuroo hummed, and they fell into silence again. The leaves swayed above them, birds chirped and in the distance he could hear the bell go off, signaling the end of last period. Yea, they had skipped class.

“What about you? You still on your writing protest” Kuroo asked, cocking an eyebrow. Bokutos face immediately fell back to a scowl.

“Why bother to try. It's like they don't want hear anything I have to say- to write”.

“Totally would be easier if we were just soul mates with each other” Kuroo grinned, joking.

“Bro” Bokuto pulled himself up to look down at the raven. “Totally would be though! I would write you little cute messages and hearts when I'm in math and everything”.

Kuroo laughed, sitting up as well.  
“And I would draw little comics of you and me in volleyball practice. I've remembered a bunch of pick up lines and sappy poems to heart” he boasted, pridefully.

“Agh!” Bokuto groaned, throwing his hands into his hair. “I'd love that!”.

“You...would?” Kuroo asked, sounding slightly bewildered. His eyes were wide, surprised, lips parted a little.

Bokuto dropped his hands from his hair, eyes floating to Kuroos.

“Well, I mean yea. Imagine waking up to little kissing face emojis drawn on your knuckles” he chuckled.

“I would draw a big dick on your cheek” Kuroo snorted.

“That means it would be on your face too, idiot!” Bokuto pointed at him accusingly.

“Oh shit” Kuroo says with realization and a dazed face.

They both break into laughter, deep and guffawing. Kuroos was rich and loud, Bokutos boisterous and unrestrained. His chest felt warm and for the first time, free of problems. As his laughing died down, he caught Kuroos eyes again, and he could tell that it was the same. He felt...happy.

The moment slid into a moment of silence, tension bubbling, but in a soft calm way.

“It'd be...easy to love you” Bokuto says. Its quiet, but it brings a dusting of pink to Kuroos cheeks as his eyes grow wide again. They gleam, glossy and colorful with soft questioning.

“I-” he tried to say, but Bokuto sees the words catch in his throat, and suddenly Kuroo isnt so far way anymore. Instead he's cupping Bokutos face. 

His mind is foggy and he vaguely renders that Kuroos lips are on his, warm and unfamiliar, but nice. His heart leaps in his chest and its kind of scary, but exciting! He pushes harder into the kiss, feels Kuroo release a soft gasp.

When they pull away, Kuroos eyes are still wide. Bokuto can feel how stunned he is himself.  
Suddenly his eyes pull away and dart down to his hand as a feeling ripples across his hand.

Watching with an intense gaze, his eyes follow the letters. 'Are you there?' it says, neat and tidy across his wrist.

He looks up to find that Kuroo had also been watching, eyes seemingly unable to tear away. He gulps, and they make eye contact yet again. Its different this time. Bokuto feels...guilty, unsure.

“Its okay” he chuckles, eyes reassuring. But his smile is shaky, and he can see the ravens hands clenched at his side.

“You- I... this doesn't change anything” Bokuto argues weakly, stumbling over his words. But he sees Kuroo shake his head solemnly.

“We both know it'd just be a bit of fun between us. You have a soulmate waiting for you. Besides, we're better as best bros, right” Kuroo scoots closer to throw an arm around his shoulder. This time his look is more warm, more certain, and Bokuto feels relief course through his veins. 

“Do I write back?” Bokuto asks. His wrist feels like its on fire, the words burning through his wrist like a deadly fever that he has to break. 

“I'd take the chance if I were you” Kuroo nods in confirmation.

“...Maybe I will” Bokuto hums.

The words 'Are you there?' sit across his skin. They mock him, tantalizing and powerful. Does he want to be there for this seemingly cretinous person who had done nothing but ignore him for months on end. 

Is he here?  
He doesn't know how to reply.


	2. Born Guilty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Akaashi perspective and angst up the wazoo.

“You will not write, you will not draw”.

“Yes”.

“You will not attempt to communicate and- Keiji are you listening to me”.

“Yes”.

“Good, I don't want you talking to your soulmate at least until your 18”.

“Honey, don't you think thats a little harsh on him”.

“Do you want our son talking to a random stranger, sharing saliva with them probably in the first 5 minutes of meeting!”.

Keiji frowned, looking down at his feet, his knees pulled to his chest. This wasn't exactly how he thought the morning of his 16th birthday would go, being woken up by his parents to have the exact same thing repeated to him from every year. A warning. 

“I suppose I don't”. Keijis dad scratched the back of his neck. He looked uneasy, knowing that his son would do no such thing, but it was hard in these situations. 

Hatsuko Akaashi was a woman not to be disagreed with, and he wondered how his father and mother had ever been destined to be soul mates in the first place. He agreed that they shared some of the same tendencies, but his father was more softer and lenient and it wasn't hard to tell who was the dominant in the relationship.

Keiji would never like to share the same relationship as them. If he were to be with someone, they would both be equal in parts of giving and taking, loving each other unconditionally. The key word being here being 'if'.

He would most likely never experience anything at this rate.

“Well, I've already talked to you about it in detail before” his mother sighed. Keiji kept his eyes on his feet, wiggling them underneath the blankets of his bed. His body felt cold and numb with the frost hanging on the outside frames of his window.

“Come down when you're ready and we'll have a celebratory birthday breakfast before your father and I go to work” she nodded firmly towards him. He returned the short nod and she walked out of the room.

A flood of relief broke through and Akaashis shoulders un tensed. He inhaled sharply, but quiet, feeling the need to refill his lungs with air that didn't hold such heavy tension.

“Try not to think about it, bud” his father lingered near the door. “There's plenty of other things to focus on. Is that one of your newest paintings” his father gestured towards the other side of his room where a canvas sat. 

It was a half finished piece, large bubbles trapped with so much water breaching the sides, it looked as if they were all going to simultaneously pop with force. Akaashi often felt the need to express his frustration through paintings, something his mother could never see through.

“Oh” Akaashis eyes fell off the canvas and to his father. “Yea, I haven't worked on it in weeks though” his voice was calm and quiet.

His father opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to apologize, say anything, but he just smiled, simply running a hand through his brown curls before following after his wife.

The celebration was pleasant, although not very cheerful on his part. His breakfast contained of salmon, rice and miso cooked by his dad and a cake was placed in front of him. He blew out the candles, only for his mother to take it away to the fridge, telling him that it wasn't a decent thing to have so early in the morning and that he could wait.

And so he sat, eating the last of his breakfast as his parents rushed around, pressed for time. He felt relief through consolation that his parents would both be working, and he would have the day free of disquietude and pressure to enjoy himself.

He watched as his father left first, offering a good-natured wave and a “see you this afternoon”. 

His mother left second. She sat at the door, placing her foot snugly into that of a black high heel. Her black straight hair pulled back over her head, straining into a tight bun. 

“I hope you have a good day. Maybe call one of your friends over” she said, pulling on a coat. “Whats that boys name, the naive looking one...”.

“Konoha” Akaashi supplied her.

“Invite Konoha around or something, I don't want you all lonely on a saturday now”.

“Mhm” Akaashi hummed, the only thing he could possibly reply with as to not argue that they were the ones that had to work on his birthday, leaving him alone.

She stepped out the door with a nod.  
“And Keji” her pinched mouth gave away to a small smile. “Happy birthday”.

And then she was gone out the door. The silence was static in his ears as he gathered his utensils and carried his dishes to the kitchen. It did feel perhaps a little too quiet.

Deciding that he would take his mothers advice, he pulled out his phone and called Konoha. It picked up after 3 rings.

“FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. FOR HE'S A JOLLY-”. Akaashi flinched, pulling the phone away from his ear with a grimace.

“Konoha shut up” he interrupted.

“-good fellowwwww” Konoha continued, in a whisper.

Akaashi sighed, shaking his head, even though his disappointment couldn't be seen by his overwhelming friend.

“Happy birthday! Im assuming you're calling cause your momma is out and i'm in”.

Akaashi couldn't help but crack a smile.  
“Can you make it? The weather looks like its going to start snowing soon”.

“Im already walking, and let me tell you, this cold air is burning two times the calories I usually would. It's a blessing”.

“I'll see you in 15 minutes then” Akaashi snorted.

“Rightio! Love you Keji!” a sound of smooching lips came across the phone.

“Bye” Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“Nooo, you have to say it back!”.

“Absolutely not”.

“Keiji”.

“No”.

“KEIJIIIIIIIIIIII-”.

“Love you back. Not get your ass over here” Akaashi cut him off sharply.

“Aww, you're such a good friend. Bye bye” he sung, and then the line went silent.

Konoha was a nice friend. Akaashi didn't have many friends as they had to be throughly checked out and approved by his mother first. Konoha had been sweet and charming, getting the thumbs up, and once they were alone, he turned sneaky and anything but the goody two shoes act he displayed for his parents.

But thank god for Konoha, because if it weren't for him being so insistent on being Akaashis friend, he'd probably have none at all. All of his friends came along with Konoha, and although he had never thanked him out loud, both of them knew how grateful he really was deep down.

Hesitantly, he looked down to his arm, and then to the pen lying on the coffee table. Sitting down on the floor, he reached for it and put it to his skin. 

He wasn't one to disobey his parents for the most part, but this... he didn't see a problem with breaking it. What was so wrong with reaching out? How was his soul mate even going to know he existed if he didn't give them something to remember.

With a few flicks of his pen, he drew out the delicate petals of a flower, neat and tidy. A blooming daffodil. He finished it with licks of detail and shading. It wasn't too bad for just a pen, and he ended up smiling as he sat down the pen and reached for his phone to take a picture.

It was only a few minutes before he felt something crawl up his arm next to the fastidiously drawn flower. The words “Was it your birthday recently” popped up in sloppy large handwriting. He could already sense what type of person was on the other line of this magic. They were childish, perhaps playful with large round letters. But not everything can be interpreted from just a writing style.

Amazing, Akaashi thought, as his skin prickled with the newfound letters. Immediately he decided to write back. He wouldn't let this opportunity slip. The conversation turned into asking him when his birthday was and Akaashi nearly laughed as he told this seemingly invisible person that it was actually today. 

If they knew he was sitting in an empty room at 8:30 am in the morning on his birthday, they might think of him as pathetic.

With a few strokes, the words “whats your name' divulged itself on his arm.  
A sudden feeling of foreboding crept up his skin, and he raised his head, ears picking up the noise of foot steps. Konoha hadn't been that close, had he?

The resounding jangle of keys made its way past the door to Keiji, and he leapt to his feet hurriedly, just as his mother walked in. 

“I seem to have forgotten my purse” she shook her head, sliding off her coat. Then her eyes darted up to take in Keiji standing in the middle of the room, eyes wide and hands clutching his own arm to his chest like a wounded animal. 

“Keiji” her eyebrows narrowed, and she crossed the room, foot steps hasty. Her arm reached out, gripping his wrist with a soft touch. He stepped back, pulling his arm, but her grip strengthened, long nails digging into his skin like talons.

“Let me see” she demanded, face pinched, vehement.

“Why” Akaashi shot back.

“I know what you've been doing!” She accused, pulling at his arm harder. Her nails buried their way further until he thought they might draw blood.

He reluctantly let go of his arm and she pulled it down into her line of sight. Immediately her mouth dropped open, eyes frantic and darting across the words. She looked livid. 

“I cant believe this” she hissed, turning to him. “You've disobeyed me”.

Akaashi pulled his arm back, and this time she let him. He rubbed over the indents soothingly, chest heaving slightly. It hurt. It hurt bad.

“Well maybe if you let me live my own life” Akashi retorted, but stopped when his mother reached down and snatched the pen he had been using off the table.

“What are you-” he asked, confused.

Her hand snapped back to grab his arm and then she was scribbling over the words that lay bare on his skin. Dark ink blotched out every letter, every word exchanged. He watched with wide eyes as everything disappeared, until she was throwing the pen down onto the table and fixing him with a venomous glare.

“You do this again and i'll know” she spat.

Akaashi knew that this was true, she had her ways. But he still wanted to snap back, to fight for his impending freedom. The withering look she was giving him as she towered over, a dark looming shadow, made him shut his mouth and retract anything he was going to say. He had lost this battle.

At this sudden time, there was a clicking of a door, and foot steps as someone entered.  
“Hey, Keiji, it was open so I just let myself in” Konoha stood, taking off his shoes, when his eyes floated up to take in the predicament. His face paled.

His mother shot him one more warning look before she was turning on her heel, seizing her purse and strutting to the door. Konoha stepped aside for her.

“M-morning miss-”

“Konoha, keep an eye on my son for me will you. He's being an un disciplined brat” she seethed through her teeth.

“Right” he nodded, as his mother walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Akaashi immediately wilted, falling to his knees on the floor. He felt as if he were melting into the ground, becoming one with the carpet. Fuzzy energy fizzled through his veins and he felt drained, his heart tight and painful. He had been foolish enough to think that he could get away with something that had been forced upon him ever since he had learned to understand what soul mates were.

Konoha rushed over to his side, dropping to his side.  
“Hey, hey, what happened?” he asked, voice frantic and panicky.

Akaashi opened his mouth, tried to speak the words, but all that came out was a choking noise, and then he was biting his bottom lip. His eyes pinched at the sides, trying to hold back brewing tears, salty and warm.

He clutched his wrist hard gingerly, drawing Konohas attention, who's eyes blew open with realisation. Then came understanding as Konoha sat by his side, gently pulling Akaashis arm into his lap and rubbing over it, calm and tranquil. 

It alleviated some of the pain and he found that indeed a tear had slipped past the brink, and was slowly trailing its way down his cheek.

“Im staying over tonight” Konoha said, voice easing him into soft held back sobs.

“W-why?” he uttered out.

“Because if I dont, she might literally murder you” he grinned, and Akaashi managed to choke out some laughter between his crying, smiling tenderly. Konoha brought him into a warm hug and he clutched the back of his friends shirt with a tight clasp.

Later that night after his shower, he slipped into bed only to feel a tingle roll up his skin again. He only looked up to the ceiling as his hand impulsively reached for a pen on his bed side table and he looked down to the words 'Are you okay?'. He scribbled them out with murky ink.

It was better this way.

A few months passed this way, the winter days whizzing by the flurries of snow and harsh winds. With the gloomy weather came the constant flow of caliginous words that haunted him. 

They spread over his legs, arms, hip, everywhere. They reminded him of his mistakes, and with every letter, he crossed it out with the drab colour of a black pen. It begun to look as if his body was that of a doll, dark holes in the places where he inked until it was pitch black and unreadable.

One particular day, the first of spring to be precise, he was sitting in class eating lunch when he felt the familiar tingle spread up his arm. Impetuously, he reached for his pencil case and brought out a pen, ready to stain his skin dirty and dreary once again.

But he stopped, stopped as he watched petals cascade across the inner surface of his arm. A daffodil, sweet and simple, no details and a hilariously awry stem to finish it off. His heart seemed to burst, elation spreading through his body. It fermented, made him feel so happy that it brought turmoil to his mind.

He couldn't.

The pen sat rigid in his grip and he pressed the tip to the drawing, crossing over only a centimeter, before stopping.

He could feel his heart beating, a loud thrumming echoing throughout his chest, strong and powerful. No one would know...no one would see if he told his soul mate to wash their words off after.

His fingers trembled, anxiety rolled its way through him as he remembered when he had drawn this particular flower for the first time. He remembered the way he was looked down on, berated, threatened, disowned for the longest of times yet. Cold calculating eyes that stabbed through him and let him bleed out on the carpet of his own living room, and he erratically began to scrawl over the drawing with a tight clasp on the pen as it blacked anything and everything out...

Nothing is better sometimes.

The days merged together, his art the only thing keeping him upright. He poured his soul and heart into it with tidal waves thrashing and drowning him on the canvas. Moon bright across a dark ocean, but never reaching the shore. Fire creeping up fabric, close but never burning skin. His paintings were beautiful, but sad.

“Akaashi?” someone had asked.

He turned to face his art teacher, who had been peering over his shoulder. For how long? He didn't know. he had been in a sort of trance.

“I believe i've told you you're paintings are exquisite before” he nods, pushing his glasses up his nose further. 

Akaashi nods before turning back to look at his painting, brush in hand. Yellow smudges across his hand and he despises it for doing so.

“You have” he admits.

“But” the teacher starts again. “Have you ever thought about doing something else?”.

Akaashi blinks in confusion before turning to look at his teacher again.  
“I do art, play piano and I sub on the volleyball team. I dont know-”.

“No, no no” the teacher shakes his head, and Akaashi grows more flummoxed.

“I mean have you ever tried painting in another tone, a whole new genre. Sad can be beautiful, but theres so much more that is as well” his voice is chipper, and he lays a hand on Akaashis shoulder.

“Just think about it. I wont judge you, but change is the supporting tower of every artists works. We must learn to grow”. He gives a solid pat before removing his hand and walking away, as if he didn't just leave Keiji feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from reality.

Akaashi turns to look at his painting, analysing the paints and swirls of colour. Its a picture of the sky, dark hazy blues fading to a light bright blue that bleeds into yellow oranges, ending with a fiery passion of red. At the bottom center is a flower, its petals distorted. It looks unsure of wether to open or close up, as it doesn't know if its night, day, afternoon. The day blends together, and it sits confused, alone.

Perhaps it was time for change. A change for the better.

Leaning over, he grabs a fresh paintbrush and dips the thin bristles into black paint.  
Across his wrist he writes 'Are you there?'.

He feels guilty...and so guilty he must be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story will mostly be from Bokutos perspective because I find it the most fun to write and its easier to slide little jokes in there -v- but I wanted to give an insight to Akaashis side so that no one goes hating on him and so they can see the situation he's in. Sorry its so angsty heh.


	3. Write Me Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto concerns himself with the simple 3 words all day, for absolutely no reason apart from that he's afraid.

Bokuto was not having the best day, yet again it wasn't his worst day, it was merely confusing. As he sat in his last class, his mind kept drifting back to earlier in the day. Kissing Kuroo, receiving the first reply from his soul mate in months, how his drink got stuck in the vending machine an hour ago. 

God this pissed him off. Not the drink thing- well actually yes- but no, it was the fact that he had no idea what to write back. The words 'Are you there' still sat alone and deserted across the inside of his wrist, and he had yet to reciprocate. It should be easy, he should just reply yes. However, it was hard to do so. Bokuto was afraid he was dreaming, and if he was, then he demanded his brain to rewind and take it from the top again, cause this wasn't what he expected. 

He awaited the black ink that would scrawl over the words like always, and yet it didn't. He predicted for the words to wash away and sink back into his skin never to be seen again, and yet they didn't.

They remained neat and swirly, looking as if it were painted rather than written, which would of made sense, with the previous paint splatters and all. Maybe his soul mate had had a sudden break through, a revelation.

It left Bokuto contemplating about whether it was now okay to finally write to his soul mate and maybe this one time he wouldn't be ignored, wouldn't be rejected. He continued to think this as the bell rung and he packed his bag, ready to head off to his after school job he worked with Kuroo. It was just a cafe, although very popular as a student hang out and therefore afternoon rushes often needed atleast three employes. Hopefully it could get his mind off things for a while.

“Bo, there you are!” Kuroo called from behind him. Bokuto was leaned against a pillar near the entrance to the school, waiting. Students gushed out, laughing and chattering, his friend among the last of the few strayers.

“We always meet here” Bokuto cocked an eyebrow, shifting his weight to stand as Kuroo approached.

“Look what I found in the vending machine” Kuroo lifted a soda and shook it in the air slightly. “Total score” he grinned, stopping next to Bokuto.

“Hey, wait thats mine! I payed for that earlier” Bokuto frowned, grabbing for the drink. Kuroo only held it higher in the air, brandishing the can while shaking it more.

“Don't do that, it'll explode when you open it!” Bokuto whined, trying a desperate attempt to grab the drink again, before giving up.

“Exactly, a delicious treat for our co-worker Daishou, don't ya think?” Kuroo winked, as they started to walk down the street. Their work was only a block away, a students lucky dream.

“Oh yea, you're prolonged feud” Bokuto rolled his eyes, shoulders slumping. He dragged his feet across the footpath, Kuroo watching with a concerned face.

“You doing okay, man?” Kuroo asked.

“Yea, I'm fine, how are you doing?” Bokuto shrugged.

“Well I-”.

“Okay you got me” Bokuto groaned, throwing his hands in the air.  
“Im not fine, god you're good at this”.

Kuroo blinked a few times.  
“Wh- okay never mind, whats going on” he shook his head, an exasperated smile on his face.

“I...uh”. Bokuto kicked a can on the side walk. “I still haven't replied, and I don't know what to do”. He looked down to his wrist, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Yep, still there, albeit a little faded.

Kuroo concluded with the shaking of his can as they stopped in front of the coffee shop. He slid it into his school jacket pocket while Bokuto looked at it hesitantly. Would it burst in there? Who knows. Probably.

“Well why don't you just say a simple 'yes I'm alive' you bastard” Kuroo pushed his way into the store. Bokuto followed on his heels, grumbling.

“Bastard? Aren't you the one without a father, just like no soul mate” he sung, mockingly. Oh wow wait, was that too harsh?

“Wow that was a low blow” Kuroo huffed.

It could have been a very humiliating insult since the previous events of today had been so serious, but they both shared the same type of humor and felt it hard to ever hold a grudge. He could tell there was no offense as Kuroo hid a faint teasing smile.

“I can go lower” Bokuto waggled his eyebrows. That totally sounded like a double entendre. The two of them walked behind the counter and into the back to get changed. 

“Hit me, I need a good roast” Kuroos eyebrows raised, as if challenging him.

“Oh” Bokuto blinked, stopping in the midst of his changing his shirt to look Kuroo up and down, probably looking for something to insult.

“You're hair is... wacky” he pointed at the raven, who looked still unamused. 

“Mmm 0% refreshing” Kuroo drawled.

“And!!!! probably makes up for some of that height you lord over people” Bokuto stated with triumph. Kuroo immediately stalled.

“Huh” Kuroo frowned, clenching his teeth and whipping around to face him. “I smoosh this right down to my head whenever I measure myself” He patted his weed whacked looking hair. “Right down!”.

“So sensitive” Bokuto chortled, shrugging on the rest of his uniform.

“Try me again, do it!” Kuroo griped, sliding on his own shirt.

“Jeez, its not like I have things scripted. I guess... something about you're thighs?”.

“My thighs? They are pretty great, aren't they” A sly grin slid its way onto his face.

“Im not saying no, but” Bokuto whistled, hands on his hips as he looked down at the ravens legs.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Kuroo gasped, turning to give him a fake shocked look.

“Are you seducible?” Bokuto blinked, innocently.

“Okay, okay, stop this crap right now, you need to reply to that soul mate of yours” Kuroo laughed, standing to throw his backpack in his locker. 

“Hnng” Bokuto groaned at the thought as he too, picked up his bag. He tried to open his locker, but it wouldn't budge.

“Agh, whats my code again, Kuroo?'.

“Huh, fuck if I know?” Kuroo answered with a snort, standing to wait for him.

Bokuto rested his hand against the dial, turning it a few times as if trying to decipher the numbers to a locked safe.

“What are you doing, trying to read braille” Kuroo laughed as Bokuto smoothed his hands all over the metal.

At that moment Daishou happened to walk into the room.  
“Hey whats going on, losers” he smirked.

“Take my place insulting Kuroo” Bokuto snapped, pointing at the raven accusingly.

“Have you said anything about his hair yet?” Daishou asked, smirk growing only bigger, and wait wasn't he supposed to be out there serving people?

“Why my hair!” Kuroo asked, taking a step back. “It's not that bad is it!?”.

“Have you look in a mirror?'” Daishou snorted. Bokuto would of laughed along with him if he hadn't just broken his locker...

Kuroos grin suddenly became menacing.  
“Hey Daiiiii” he sung. “You like sodas, right?”.

~~~

“You ever get an impulse to make weird noises, like the coffee machine goes whrrr and you just also wanna go whrrr out loud” Bokuto asked.

He stood, leaning his elbows on the counter as Kuroo was nearby, cleaning the very machine Bokuto was talking about. It had been a few hours since working and they were now in a lull. Only two girl customers who sat at the far end of the cafe, being chatted up by Daishou.

“Are you trying to divert your attention away from your ever-growing problems” Kuroo asked, throwing the rag down.

“Am I what in the huh” Bokuto asked, raising his head from the counter.

Kuroo gave a large exhale before grabbing the pen they used to write orders and reached for Bokutos wrist.

“Hey, hey, hey what are you doing!?” Bokuto yelped, snatching his arm away, leaving Kuroo holding the pen in mid air.

“You don't know what to write, so i'll write for you”.

"Eh!?".

When Bokuto hisses, Kuroo blithely swats his other arm away and instead drags his wrist for him to write on again. The words are still in sight, neat and sloping. 

Bokuto knows he's being a coward, but it's not like he has no reason to be, okay. He's scared. Scared from the constant past rejection. He liked to think of himself as optimistic, not giving a second thought or a slither of doubt and worry when it came to make the tough decisions, but when it came to his soul mate...

Well its not like he wasn't human, he had dips and rises. He had his dejected modes in abundance, and it never failed to arise when thinking that his soul mate might hate him. 

He didn't mind much when someone didn't take to him completely. He got it, he had a bit of a personality. But this was the one person who's opinion mattered the most to him, and the funny thing was, he didn't even know who they were. He was perhaps too scared to know.

“What are you gonna write?” Bokuto asked, giving up and looking down the stretch of his arm as Kuroo pressed the ball point pent to his skin.

“Hm, maybe something along the lines of wanting to punch them in the throat?” Kuroo tapped his lip.

“What! Don't do that, they'll think i'm crazy” Bokuto blanched.

“Huh!” Kuroo pulled the pen away and threw his hands in the air. “When they were ignoring you, you wrote so many accusations to them. I once saw you write 'I am the mitochondria, powerhouse of the cell, and therefore you should listen to me!”.

“Oh god, yea, no, I did do that” Bokuto scrubbed his hands across his face. “But hey, they probably didn't even read it...hopefully” he sighed.

“It was funny as well as grimace worthy” Kuroo chuckled.

“For once” Bokuto groaned. “Just for once, I want someone to say 'oof bad choice' and disagree with me when I try do stupid shit”.

“What do you mean? I literally disagree with your bad decisions all the time!” Kuroo retorted.

“And then we somehow end up still going through with them” Bokuto pointed out. “Who's idea was it to pour yogurt down the bunsen burner in science” Bokuto accused.

Kurro guffawed.  
“That was you! I was the one screaming, no Bokuto no!”.

“Agh okay whatever, whatever, let's just figure out something to write before we get growled at for slacking off”.

“Its not like theres any customers to be serving”.

Ah yes, but their lives were nothing but surprises, and this time Bokuto was annoyed by it as the bell chimed and someone stepped in through the door. 

The two of them blinked a few times, heads twisting to take in that of a new customer, short with dyed blonde hair, faded downwards from their original black. They approached the counter with hands in pockets, and while Kuroo immediately turned away to serve them, Bokuto squinted, slightly miffed.

“Hello, what can I get you today?” Kuroo asked, his voice suddenly charming and light.

The newfound person only stood, eyes darting around Kuroo to look at an annoyed Bokuto. He realized it was a student from their school, down a year from them...and had been on the volleyball team for not even a week before resigning due to too much effort and too much sweat.

“Not whatever he had” Kenma said. He made direct eye contact with Bokuto, who suddenly jolted in his spot, realising he was being rude. He wanted to apologise. He couldn't help it.

Kuroo followed the line of Kenmas sight and whacked Bokuto on the back of the head. Bokuto immediately sported a pout as he picked up a notepad and pretended like he was working instead of doodling an angry owl.

“Sorry about him” Kuroo sighed, turning back to Kenma with a apologetic smile.

“Sorry for being a customer” Kenma gave a taunting smile.

“Some crimes can never be forgiven” Kuroo shot back, a playful grin appearing on his face.

“Hey Kuroo!” Bokuto gasped. “Remember when we worked at a coffee shop and not an escort service” he asked, mockingly.

The raven haired whipped around to give him another angry stare, which Bokuto poked his tongue out at.  
Kenma was now giving one bored jaded look at Bokuto, as if he were hogging up all the time in the day.

“Right, can I just get my ice tea instead of being flirted with” Kenma cocked an eyebrow. Kuroo swivelled back around, blush noticeably forming high on his cheeks.

“I wasn't- I didnt mean to- uh” Kuroo scratched the back of his neck. 

Bokuto could obviously notice something was wrong with his best friend, like a flip had been switched. He had also never seen Kenma this amused looking before. Not that he had seen a lot of him.

“What flavor” Bokuto asked, when he realized Kuroo wasn't going to be making full sentences anytime soon.

“Peach, please” Kenma sighed, digging in his pockets for his wallet.

Bokuto kicked his friend to get a move on. He got a glare back before the raven was turning and immediately tripping on the way to grab a cup, grabbing at the counter just in time before face planting. Bokuto flinched in second hand embarrassment. Damn what was with him.

“What season is it? fall” Kenma snorted.

Bokuto burst out in laughter as he took Kenmas card to swipe. Kuroo groaned before walking off to grab the needed items, hands slapped over his face.

“I swear he's totally more suave than he looks” Bokuto shook his head.

“You don't need to play him up for me” Kenma frowned, confusingly.

“Kuroo likes long hair and I'm a natural born wingman” Bokuto shrugged. If he noticed the boy blush slightly, he didn't point it out.

“...Kuroo” Kenma repeated, playing with the ends of his sleeve. The boy looked down, eyebrows drawn as if he were trying to remember where he had heard that name before. Suddenly the boys eyes trailed back up to his face.

“Er, I think your soul mate is trying to talk to you” Kenma pointed out, head nodding to his exposed wrist, awkwardly.

Bokuto tilted his head in confusion before realization hit. He looked down at his arm, expecting there to be a new string of words that had appeared in the last few seconds, but there was nothing. Just the same three words, same eleven letters.

“Oh...yea” Bokuto rubbed at it with his other hand, mindfully.

“Aren't you gonna reply? It looks like they're trying to figure out if you're alive or not”.

“Nah, I haven't even talked to them in months and I'm not sure what to say” Bokuto bit his lip. Then his eyes sparked, and he rose his head. Because ah, this was someone who seemed smart, someone who could give him the push he needed.

“What would you say?” Bokuto asked, leaning forward with eager eyes.

Kenma looked throughly taken back for a moment, before the same bored expression settled back into his face. “I... have no idea what the situation is”.

Suddenly Kuroo was back with the tea, placing it on the counter, face still red as his eyes looked anywhere but Kenma.

“Besides” Kenma shrugged, grabbing his drink. “I've never written back to my soul mate before”. Then he was turning and walking out the store, like a breeze had come and gone.

Kuroo turned to give Bokuto a look. Something that said; What the heck was that.

“What” he balked. “ I was just getting advice. You cant have good conversations now days without staying up till 3am and getting into that deep shit” Bokuto scratched his cheek.

“You had just gotten offline at 5:30 am last night. That was when I was waking up, Bokuto” Kuroo huffed.

“One out of three hoes are mad. Im not mad” Bokuto shrugged.

“Im not mad”. Daishou suddenly reappeared, walking around the counter as the previous girl customers made their way out.

They both turned to look at Kuroo, eyebrows raised high with implication.

“Fuck you guys”.

~~~

It was sunset, the clouds stained orange and pink, the sun begging to stay in the sky only a while longer. Kuroo and Bokuto dragged the outside tables indoors as they closed up the cafe. Daishou stood inside, watching them and pretending to wipe down the counter for the third time.

“So, Kenma” Bokuto waggled his eyebrows as he folded down a chair.

“What's a Kenma?” Kuroo asked, wiping his hands on the sides of his uniform.

“Y'know that guy that came in, bad dye job, blunt” Bokuto trailed on as Kuroo looked at him, baffled.

“Peach ice tea” Bokuto waved his hands.

“Oh” Kuroo said, recognition flashing across his face. “Oh nooooo. Not, that guy” Kuroo shook his head, mouth a set straight line.

“Yes that guy” Bokuto grinned. “It was like you had two left feet and it was hilarious watching your cool facade fall apart in like an instant”.

“Its called a customer voice, not a facade” Kuroo retorted, folding down another outside chair.

“I wasn't-. I didnt mean to- uh” Bokuto choked out, last few words breaking as he mocked Kuroos previous words in a fake puberty filled teenage boy voice.

“He was cute, okay!” Kuroo rebutted.

“Mhm” Bokuto pursed his lips. “Can't wait to tell your soulmate this story one day and watch as your ass gets either laughed at or whooped”.

“Im allowed to look at the menu, I just cant order” Kuroo held his head high.

Bokuto stood up and stretched as they folded the last of the chairs and placed them aside to take in.  
“It's not like he had a soulmate either, apparently he never talks to his...has never talked to his soul mate”.

“Hah, okay maybe he's a little too choleric for me”.

“Mmm” Bokuto hummed. “Or you know, he could be you're true love” Bokuto smacked his lips in a few kissy noises. Kuroo grimaced, shoving a hand in Bokutos face.

“What are you, 9?”.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, yes” Bokuto sung, picking up a stack of chairs as they moved inside.

“Oh jesus, finally. You guys take so long to pack up” Daishou sighed, grabbing the keys from the counter with a jangle.

“Wanna help us next time, you snake” Kuroo squinted at him.

“Yea, you snake” Bokuto shook a fist at him, putting down the chairs.

“It somehow takes away the menace when that one joins you” Daishou directed his words at Kuroo while gesturing to Bokuto.

“Enjoy that soda, Daishou?” Kuroo sneered.

Bokuto laughed at Daishous disgruntled face before they disappeared into the back room to get changed.

“So Bokuto started, pulling off his uniform.

“Hmm?' Kuroo replied.

“If I write back, you ask out Kenma” Bokuto turned to face him. “Deal?”.

Kuroo had the decency to actually look at his outstretched hand with seriousness. His eyes flickered back up to Bokutos face. 

“Okay, but only if he comes back into the shop. I'm not going out of my way to do so”.

“It's a deal” Bokuto smiled, wiggling his hand, still hanging in the air.

Kuroo shook his head with a smile before clasping his hand and giving a firm shake. Bokuto returned to pulling a shirt on and then grabbed a pen from his bag as he waited for Kuroo to get changed.

He laid out his arm, put the pen to skin, and then blinked owlishly when he realized that the words he had been looking at and pondering over all day, had been washed away.

“Do it anyway” came Kuroos voice, commandingly. “Get it over with” he locked his locker, slamming Bokutos shut for him, too.

Bokuto nodded, bit his lip and looked back down to his arm. The ink smudged, it wasnt perfect. His writing never had been conjured into anything neater than the round large letters that he could now call his own personal style. But he had written back. 

'So, I never did get your name'.

He looked down at the words. They were so casual, it felt weird to think that this was the question he had last asked before the first sprawl of black ink had gone and hurriedly crossed it out. The question that had never been answered. It really was something he wanted to know, and if his soul mate wasn't going to reply to it this time, he wasn't so sure they were his soul mate anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is border line crack, but like, the worst crack. The stuff you get from your sketchy upstairs neighbour who only works part time but you don't know where, and they own way too many exotic animals for your liking.
> 
> I cant help it when it comes to writing with characters like Bokuto and Kuroo ;-; But, who needs deep understanding and high grammar when you can have meme references hahaha right... oh wait no thats not classy writing at all. Sorry guys. I wish I was better at emotional stuff:')
> 
> Anyways, this chapter was kind of a filler going towards the main plot, and I also wanted to spice in some of that Kuroken. But trust me, there is a main plot.


	4. Have Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi and Bokuto get close to each other. Perhaps too close for Akaashis liking, as the two of them happen to meet up.

It was absolutely okay. Just adequately fine in Akaashis books. It wasn't as if he had a nervous tick, a trickle of anxiety that traced down every bump in his spine until he was sitting tense at his desk, wondering why his soul mate hadn't written back. Apart from...he did, and his eyes darted to his wrist and back to the board in record time.

A past assumption was that whoever they may be, were easily demanding and they had once wrote to him countless times in one day. It was annoying having to cross out all the words that he tried to resist reading, as well as it was truly endearing. So when they had one day stopped writing to him, he knew that it was possibly the end of something, and that he had been the one to end it, no words exchanged.

This right now was him trying to reach out, trying to ask for a second chance. Even though deep down he irrefutably knew that he might not get one. Still he clung to the chance, gambling on what he already knew about his soul mate. It was that they had wanted to talk to Akaashi as badly as Akaashi had wanted to talk to them, even though he knew better to.

So yes he may be sweating every step it took to walk from school to home. But if he did happen to be perspiring so violently, it was only because he was entirely fine, absolutely splendid. Of course he was. Because it wasn't as if he had the risk of his mother finding out. If anything, he would maybe just get his arm chopped off.

He could live without one less limb right? He saw capable people like that all the time. One armed volleyball, one armed painting, one armed- okay he needed to wash this off before he got back to his house. If only they'd reply. Now he had the risk of them replying later on when he was in clear sight of both his parents eyes.

Noticing that there were no cars in his driveway, Akaashi exhaled heavily in relief, taking two steps at a time to go unlock the door. He most likely had an hour or two before any of his parents got home, meaning he wouldn't have to wash it off just yet.

Perhaps he should try write something else? maybe they were looking for a little more effort on his side, and it wasn't as if he were reluctant to give it. It would just be too much to wash off quickly if need be. In other words, he was happy writing more, given that they actually did reply...

Sliding off his shoes at the front door, he pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and placed it under the words he had previously painted on. Well, it was free real estate. What would he write? Hey, give me attention? Maybe a-

His eyes darted up as a cough sounded from someones throat. The front door lead straight into the living room and on the couch he hadn't noticed his dad, sitting with head twisted to look at Akaashi with raised eyebrows.

Akaashis mouth swiftly fell open, grasping for words. He lowered the pen slowly and with caution, placing it back in his pocket.

“It's okay, it's okay” his dads hands flew up in innocence as he watched Akaashis bag fall to the floor, fear obvious in his eyes.

“I- I was just” Akaashi uttered out.

His dad only chuckled, patting the free seat next to him on the sofa. Akaashi hesitated before making his way over, fiddling nervously with his hands, and perched on the edge of his seat. His dad looked calm, soft warm understanding eyes, and Akaashi felt somewhat relieved. 

His dad had always been a somewhat source of comfort. One that he seeked out like a moth to flame when his mother wasn't around. As much as he respected his mother, he loved his father. Although he wasn't around as much as he liked.

“Are you going to tell...” Akaashi trailed off, eyes falling to the floor.

“No” his dad answered softly.

His eyes slid back up to his dad. A smile rested on his face, a huge contrast to Akaashis subdued one.

“I don't know how she expected to micromanage you writing to your soulmate. You only see each other in the mornings and afternoons, and you can always wash it off whenever you want. Trust me, I could foresee this coming” he chuckled.

Akaashi tried to force a small smile. It was okay, he wasn't in trouble. Everything was okay. No matter how much he was bouncing his leg or picking at his nails, ridiculed with anticipation. He'd at least get sometime of punishment, right?

“I'm sorry” Akaashi mumbled.

“Don't be. I have very different opinions to your mother, but...” he sighed. “I guess she knows best? Or at least thats what she thinks is best; is you not talking to” his eyes dwindled over to Akaashis wrist, and Akaashi covered it with his other hand, self consciously.

His dad cleared his throat, diverting his gaze.  
“Just, don't do it while your mother is around and you should be okay”.

Akashi blinked a few times in surprise.  
“I can talk to them?”

“I'll let you in on a little secret” his father smiled, leaning forward to place his elbows on his knees. His eyes swiveled to Akaashi.

“You're mother was the one who always constantly wrote to me from day one. The first time was talked, we talked all day, from the sun rising till the sun setting”.

“That makes no sense. Why is she so harsh on me, then?” Akaashi asked, confused.

This didn't sound plausible at all. This didn't sound like the same person he knew. The one that talked to his teachers, asking if they saw her son writing on himself at school, asking their neighbors if they had seen Akaashi do anything fishy. 

She even monitored the time it took for Akaashi to walk to school and back, so she knew he didn't go anywhere else. This was a newly added rule.

“She just worries, you know how she is Keiji” his dad sighed. “She watches the news every morning, and there's been more kidnappings lately” he tapped his leg nervously.

“None of them have taken place in our vicinity” Akaashi notes.  
“Yes but, ever since your mother...” his father trailed off, looking as if he didn't know wether to continue. “She had a friend who was kidnapped, written on to lure their soulmate to a different location, and then both of them were...”.

“Killed” Akaashi finishes.

His father winces.  
“They had only just turned 16”.

“Just like me” Akaashi mumbles, more to himself.

“It was a long time ago” his father gives a weak smile. “And she's only taking precautions because she loves you. I understand that some of the rules” he waves his hand, trying to find the right words.  
“Some of them are a little hard on you. I'll talk to her about laying off a bit, alright”.

This had turned out to be a very different reaction indeed. Not only was his father not punishing him or saying that he would have to tell his mother, he was saying that he would rise to the occasion, step up and do something.

“Maybe I can go places after school?” Akaashi asks, hopeful.

“You were always allowed to do that” he frowns, tilting his head.

“Not unless she called the parents of any place I went, or had someone in the area watch over me in public places...”.

His fathers eyes widen.  
“Jeez, does she really do that?”.

“You haven't been around much lately” Akaashi smiles, slightly guilty at stating the truth. His dad smiles back, if not more guilty looking.

“Right I'm sorry about that” he shook his head, smiling, brown curls moving with him. “I know you have a volleyball tournament tomorrow though, so not the worst dad, right?”.

“Mm, definitely not ” Akaashi smiled.

Suddenly his dad was bringing him into a hug. Akaashi was clutched close, broad shoulders and large arms enveloping him in warmth. Akaashi was never the one to admit he liked physical touches and close comfort, because he didn't, it was only with the right person did he really feel himself enjoying it. And so he grasped his arms around his dad, equally tight, felt the tension release in his body. He exhaled, heavily into his dads shoulder.

When they pulled away, his father looked worn out, as if he had just given the hardest conversation of his life.

“Okay well, I have to go walk back to town and pick up the car. It's getting fixed up in the shop”.

No cars in the driveway, right.  
Akaashi nodded, in realization.

“I'll be back soon. Your mother might get home before me though, so remember to wash that off. Perhaps stick to talking to them at night, or even switch numbers with them so you can talk on the phone?”.

“It” Akaashi huffs with embarrassment. “hasn't really gotten that far yet”.

“Right” his father says awkwardly. He gives Akaashi a pat on the shoulder before standing up.  
“I'll see you soon” he smiles, and then he's putting on his shoes, grabbing his wallet and is out the door. 

It takes Akaashi a while to settle back into reality, with the silence buzzing around him, excitement latent in the air. First order of business was to wash the words of his wrist before his mother came home. He had left it long enough for his soul mate to see it obviously, and now he would play the waiting game.

Later on when his mother did get home, he left his room to greet her. She fidgeted over him, pointing out a red gush on his arm, asking if he had washed something off. He replied with “only paint”, to which his mother sighed, smiled happily and asked what they should do for dinner. His dad arrived back not long after and they shared a nice night, conversation floating back and forth.

Although, Akashi knew that once he stepped away from the table, disappeared into his room, his father would bring up the dreaded conversation. He did not want to be there for that. She might accuse him of swaying his dad, thinking that Akaashi forced his father to talk to her about it.

So when he slipped away to his room that night, shutting the door softly behind him, he sent a quick prayer that he would indeed still have a dad in the morning.

Only was it when he was getting changed did he suddenly notice the unseen writing. He had to thank his previous self for wearing a long sleeved shirt, because otherwise the words would have been in plain sight.

“So, I never did get your name”.

Akaashi almost snorted out loud as he finished getting changed, slipping on a short sleeved shirt so that he could write back easily.

When settled in bed, he pulled his homework into his lap, a cover incase one of his parents somehow walked into his room, asking what he was doing. Parents meaning one parent, his mother.  
Then he placed the pen to his skin and began to write.

“Maybe you'll have to work for it”.

Akaashi wrote daintily under his soul mates own words. What he didn't expect was a reply not even half a minute later.

“I think I've worked hard enough these last few months thank you”.

Akaashi felt a sweep of guilt settle into his bones, before he realized that the words seemed more bantering than bitter. He smiled giddily, biting the inside of his cheek as he reached for his pen again. He would make sure never to set it down again.

“I really am sorry about that”.

“It's okay I suppose. You'll just have to make it up to me”.

Akaashi frowned at this.

“How do you expect me to do that?”.

“Just tell me why you did it”.

Oh...he couldn't do that. He couldn't do that at all. Telling them that he had an over controlling mother that might hunt them down, try cut their throat if she found out. That might scare them too much. Heck it scared Akaashi.

“It's complicated” he wrote hesitant and slow. There was a short pause in which they didn't write back, and Akaashis heart dropped. No, don't stop, I'm here now; is what he wanted to say.

“At least you're here now”.

Did soul mates somehow share somewhat of the same mind, cause they were hitting the head of the nail on all Akaashis own thoughts. 

“Sooo, name?” the words appeared again.

Akaashi balked at it. He could tell them...but it was nothing but fun to get some teasing in beforehand. However, before he could write anything else, more words appeared.

“Ill tell you mine first if you want”.

“Switch to the other arm before you tell me. This spot is getting full” he wrote.

And it was, Akaashi laughed as he looked over his arm, tattooed with the large writing of his soulmate. He could ask them to keep it smaller, neater, but that felt like asking them to sacrifice some of their personality and he didn't want that. Suddenly some words appeared on his right arm, looking wonky and as if a child had drawn them.

“I'm not left handed!” he deciphered the words, a quirk of a smile to his lips as he did so. Akaashi rolled his eyes before shifting his leg up to his chest, glad that he also chose to wear shorts, no matter how cold and stingy the spring nights happened to be.

“It's fine, write down here” he wrote. He was assuming his soul mate also felt a slight tingle whenever the words appeared on his skin, directing his attention to the fresh ink instead of grappling all over, trying to find where someone may have written.

“You must have skinny arms! Only half of my arm was covered”.

Akaashi felt the need to roll his eyes again, but found it interesting none the less. His partner had bigger arms than him? Possibly muscled since he faintly recalled once reading that they liked sport? A sudden spark flickered in his head.

“If you don't mind me asking, are you a boy or a girl?” he wrote.

Akaashi would not mind in the least if it were a male. He had long decided that sports magazines had more appeal to him than any girls with flimsy bikinis on, splashing the waves of the front page. In fact he would be rather surprised, maybe disappointed if it were a female. He shouldn't be so quick to over think these things though. He would make it work all the same.

“I'm a man!” the words seemed defiant against being called a mere boy.  
Akaashi couldn't help but let a smile slip out. But it wasn't over, as suddenly his eyes followed more writing.

“Sorry if you're also male! That might be odd for you and I totally understand if you are weirded out, but I swear we can make it work”.

He had never seen so much written at one time, and it looked as if he might need to ask them to contain the mass and largeness of their writing after all. Or else they would have to switch to a different place again.

“I am” he wrote, biting his lip, before writing 'but I happen to like that you are too...”.

Was that too direct? It had seemed as if his soul mate didn't seem disgusted by the thought of two boys being together. He had even tried to justify it, saying they could make it work.

“Well my names Bokuto Kotaro and I'm Bisexual!”. The words sprung onto his skin. They held such a tone, almost as if he could attach a vibrant excited voice to it. 

“I'm gay” he wrote back, not knowing how else to reply. Oh the irony. He was being too blunt.

“And a painter”. Akaashi blinked at the words, puzzled, before suddenly it clicked. Of course paint always happened to get its way all over his arms when working. He had unknowingly given away a fact about himself. It wasn't as if he minded though.

“Yes, and a painter. What about you Bokuto-san?” he scribbled out.

“Just Bokuto is alright, and I play volleyball. Ace B)”. The small drawing popped along side the words.

Should he tell him that he also played volleyball... even though he was only a back up for their teams main setter.

Akaashi, although he wanted to know this new person as much as they probably wanted to know him, wasn't so lenient when it came to talking about himself. He wasn't quick to over share, and no matter the situation, even if it was his soul mate, he wasn't going to be so susceptible.

“Thats very impressive” he wrote. Was it too simple? All his doubts were eradicated when the reply came back, twice as enthusiastic.

“It is isn't it! I have a tournament tomorrow too”.

Akaashis first thought was: wow he sure does like being complimented.  
His second thought was; A volleyball tournament...I have a volleyball tournament.

And so he did. It was the exact one his father and him had talked about earlier. One that he had completely forgotten his soul mate might be at. It just hadn't occurred to him that they would meet. They were obviously from different schools since he didn't know anyone called Bokuto. 

But the thought that they were going to play against each other sent shivers down his spine from excitement, as well as nervousness.

His eyes darted down to his skin. He needed to reply.  
“Oh, a big one?”.

He already knew the answer to that though. It wasn't big. It was more of a large practice match including a lot of teams and schools from around the area. It could even be considered a training camp if it weren't just for one night. Still, it was going to be hard not to get caught writing. So he should try enjoy it as much as he could right now and worry later. 

“Tell me more” he wrote.

And so Bokuto replied, and Akaashi wrote back for every single question, exclamation and outburst. It carried down deep into the night with “whats you're favorite type of music, what about food. Whats your perfect day, and more”. 

It carried on so long that by midnight, Akaashi had used the last inch of his skin as a canvas. 

They were now writing on their left foot, the last available space before having to write somewhere ridiculous like their chests, even though Bokuto had suggested they could write on their stomachs. Akaashi had laughed, declined and told him that it was late, so they should probably sleep.

And so with a regretful last goodbye, Akaashi fell backwards onto his bed, exhausted as well as satisfied. He never thought he would enjoy finding out so much about someone. 

Bokuto was...charming as well as childish. He could be serious as well as excited when it came to things he loved. It had only been one night of talking, but his hand twitched, eager to wrap around the pen again. He itched and wanted to know more. Learn more.

They had barely scraped the surface, and he had even ended up talking about himself more than he thought he would. About his paintings, how he was an only child, how he preferred to eat some instant noodles dry. That last one elicited a larger reaction than he thought was possible.

In turn Bokuto told him about how he worked at a cafe, about his best friend Kuroo and the wacky adventures they got up to, and how he had two younger siblings whom he loved more than ever.

“Love more than volleyball?” Akaashi had written.

“Agh! Don't do this to me” Bokuto had whined back.

Rolling over in his bed, his head took a turn for the worse. He would most likely be seeing Bokuto...and no matter how much he prepared for it, he knew it was going to be like a punch to the gut when he saw who his soul mate was for the first time.

He only hoped that they wouldn't recognize him back.  
He wasn't ready.

~~~

“Keiji” the words drifted soft and close to his ear. But it was ineffective as Akaashi snuggled into the pillow deeper, clinging to the last drop of sleep that he could manage.

“Keiji” it came again, harsher this time.

Akaashi jolted awake, eyes snapping to see that his mother was in his room. Without untucking his arms, he swiftly pulled the blanket up further towards his chin.

“Yes” he croaked, eyes flickering to the window to see that it was morning. He had a slight headache from staying up later than he expected. He only got around to sleeping at 2am, his mind working overtime in the thinking department. 

Faintly he remembered setting his alarm earlier to shower off all the writing, but he must of slept through it, and even worse, his mother had noticed his absence and had came to wake him up.

“Are you okay? you look sick” his mother furrowed her brows. Akaashi must have been looking a little pale out of nerves.

“Im fine, I'm fine” he shook his head.

“You have that volleyball practice tonight, don't you” she frowned deeper. “Maybe you shouldn't go”.

“No, I swear I'm fine, just a tad cold” he disagreed, trying to look more awake and alert.

“Hmm” she hummed, analyzing his face. “Just take a real hot shower then” she shrugged, before standing. 

Already planning on it; he thought as she vacated the room. He pushed himself up, looking down at his body to find that half of the words from last night had been washed off from Bokutos side. He must of already taken a shower. 

Sighing, Akaashi brushed a hand through his hair before making his way to the bathroom. It was going to be a bitch to clean off. But as he looked over the words, crawling across his skin, he could only think how worth it, it had been.

When he jumped out of the shower, he went and sat in his room. He was dragging the duffel bag he used for trips from underneath his bed, when he noticed some words on his hand that he must of missed when washing off. Sighing he started to stand and stride back to the bathroom, when he realized they were not his.

“Hey, hey hey!” they said in simple bold writing. A sharpie for sure.

Akaashi felt himself slip into an easy smile. Turning on his heel, he made his way back, sat on the bed and grabbed for a pen.

“Morning Bokuto-san”.

“Its Bokuto! And also morning. I have my volleyball thing today” the words sounded triumphant in his head.

“Is that so” he wrote.

“Yes! Do you perhaps have any inspiring words for the ace today?”.

Akaashi snorted perhaps a little too hard. Did he need constant validation? Well alright it wasn't like Akaashi was going to refuse him. 

“Good luck out there today”. It was short and blunt.

“Nooooo” was the reply. “Maybe since you aren't as good with words, you can draw me something instead” the words scribbled out along his arm. It was a ploy for sure.

“I don't know Bokuto” he wrote out, hesitantly.

If he did draw something, it would be impossible to miss that two people had the exact same drawing on them. Everybody at the training had sharp eyes, equipped to making quick decisions by noticing their surroundings. 

Those very same eyes could be used to spot Keijis penman ship, and it would all be over. His team mates were nothing but brutal and obvious when it came to pointing something out.

“Please please please please” the words trailed across his arm like a fast crawling bug.

Akaashi sighed, slapping a hand over his face. He was really doing this.

“Only if we both wash these words off. I have a test today and I don't want it to look like I'm cheating, okay?”.

There was a noticeable pause, and then suddenly.

“YES OF COURSE! YOURE THE BEST”.

Akaashi sniggered, eyes reading over the words. 

“And Bokuto, don't think I don't know you're asking just because you want to show off to people”.

“You know me too well” the writing inked his arm.

Akaashi smiled. In fact, he didn't know him well enough. At least not yet. And if later on he did happen to use the whole of his lunch time to draw a patch of water lilies on his upper arm, nobody commented on it.

~~~

The sky leaked blue and the sun climbed its way down as their bus pulled up that afternoon to the hosting school. His team mates bustled and chattered as they made their way, cicadas buzzing and the breeze pulling them as they walked.

He was no stranger when it came to the sound of squeaking shoes, slamming sounds of volleyball and the smell of humid sweat. As his team walked up the steps, his eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the gymnasium. He twisted to keep it in sight as they walked in a different direction to go place their bags in the room they'd be sharing for the night.

It wasn't as if he weren't looking forward to it, but, Konoha had some pretty mean kicks. Akaashi was ruthless when it came to exiling him to his own corner when need be.

“Right squad, lets get changed and then to the gym. Our first game is against a powerhouse, and damn if we don't make a good first impression” their captain stood at the helm of the pack, hands on his hips. They all threw down their bags, gazing around the large sleeping quarters.

“You're forgetting we're also a powerhouse school” their left wing spiker commented.

Everyone sniggered as the captains smile fell from his face, eye ticking slightly. Everybody began to rustle through their bags, picking out sport clothes and getting changed. 

He sighed as he looked at the elbow pads he had stashed away in his bag. Konoha gave him a confused look as Akaashi picked them up, holding them unwanted in the air with a vexed look..

“What are those for?” Konoha came to crouch beside him.

Akaashi only threw him a displeased scowl as he slid the elbow pads on and over the art he had drawn for Bokuto that evening. They were a little bit longer than the usual, and it made him look only slightly ridiculous. Konohas eyes seemed to pick up the inky flowers immediately, knowing the story already.

“Ahahahaha, the things you do for love” he threw back his head with laughter, standing to go gather his own things. Akaashi turned to shoot him a glare, but he only wiggled his eyebrows in return.

A setter having elbow pads was going to look so obviously weird. Oh the sacrifices he had to make. Hopefully people would chalk it up to Akaashi doing move flying receives or something, even though he knew it was highly unlikely.

When they entered the gym, most of the schools were at the end of their warm up stretches. Akaashi stood in the entrance as his team brushed past him. His eyes surveyed the large crowd, studying. Of coure he had no idea what his soul mate would look like, but he couldn't help but try get a read of everyone in the room.

“Come on Akaashi” a tug came at his arm, and Akaashi reluctantly let Konoha pull him towards their team, who began their stretches, sitting in a circle.

He settled in between Konoha and their libero, following their team mates stretches, pulling to the side, arms over his head. Yet his eyes strayed away, back to the other teams. 

He couldn't see flowers or anyones elbows in detail, and wow he never thought he would be saying those words to himself. He didn't have same type of fetish, he swore it to anyone following Akaashis line of eye contact. 

Suddenly a large screech corrupted the air, making everyone in his team turn to seek out the noise. Akaashi swiveled his head to find a volleyball player on their back a few meters away. Their arms were held out high, trying to defend themselves against another player who stood over them, pushing and pulling, hand outstretched looking as if he were going to slap the other. 

He noticed that they both had very unruly hair. The one on his back had feathery black and white hair, a large grin on his face no matter how much he was protesting his friend trying to get at him. His friend crouching above had a sly grin, black bed head and tanned skin. He laughed at his friends struggles, dropping down to sit on their stomach as their arms flailed.

“Kuroo!” the boy on his back groaned. “You fat fuck, get off me”.

“Its called being THICK” the boy retorted, shifting his weight to push down harder, gaining a large 'oof'.

And oh god, if the mention of Kuroo didn't explain it, the tattoo of a few lilies right near the owl looking boys elbow, said it all. Akaashis eyes widened, impossibly, staring at the ongoing scene.

Konoha ending up nudging him, giving him a look, and Akaashi realized he had stopped in the midst of their stretches. His captain looked at him sternly, still calling out the motions. Guilty, Akaashi resumed, stretching out his arms. Yet his eyes faltered on the ground before darting back off to Bokuto and Kuroo. They were both being pulled up by what he assumed was their captain, angry shouts being thrwn their way.

And it wasn't like he was falling in love or anything, but Bokuto sure looked like he could do Akaashi no good. And god he wanted that more than anything.

A whistle blasted through the air and Akaashi begrudgingly pulled his gaze away to stand up and follow his team to a court. Only then did he realize that Bokuto and his team were heading the same way.

“Hey, hey look at that guys long elbow pads” Kuroo whispered rather loudly from the other side of the net, pointing at Akaashi.

Akaashi merely tried to act like he was oblivious to the talk, trying instead to tune into his captains lecture. But he failed, eyes tearing to look to the side for a split glance.

“What about them?, oh wow he's super pretty” Bokuto gawked, turning to look at him.

Akaashi couldn't help but let a flood of embarrassment course through him, cheeks blushing. He turned his head away, hiding what he hoped they couldn't notice.

“Yea but his long elbow pads match your long knee pads. Maybe you two would hit it off” Kuroo chuckled, a sly grin still high on his face. 

Akaashi wanted to scowl. Pain in the ass Kuroo. He knew Bokuto had a soul mate, and yet he was trying to get him to hit on some stranger. Although...Akaashi was the stranger...and happened to be his soul mate.... but Kuroo didn't know that! 

Another whistle blew and Akaashi shook his head, trying to rid of any soul mate related thoughts. It was all about volleyball. He was going to be put in half way through the game, and he needed to be in pique form.

Each team lined up respectively on their sides of the net, walking down in a line to give handshakes. Why they chose to do this before and also after the match he had no idea.

Nervously he gulped, as he made his way, shaking and nodding politely with a few mummered “hello's”.

Bokuto was the last one on the line, and as they drew up next to each other, Akaashi met wide enthusiastic eyes, dancing with passion and the thrill of anticipation. 

He looked back, eyes perhaps too akin to that of someone who was bewildered. Bokuto reached out his hand and Akaashi reached back, clasping together. Abruptly he felt a sudden large magnetic pull, like all the air in the room was pulling him in one direction. It felt warm and strong, urging Akaashi to step forward, hold tighter, feel safer.

He dropped Bokutos hand as if it were on fire, mouth falling open and his eyes darted up to look at Bokuto. Immediately he could tell that he had felt the same, eyes impossibly wider, face without a smile for the first time Akaashi had seen him that day.

“Lets have a good game” Bokuto nodded, oddly serious, trying to regain his previous smile. It oozed confusion and forcefulness.

“Right” Akashi managed to utter out, before the two of them reluctantly pulled away from the shared eye contact.

His palm still tingled, fuzzy and pleasant. And as Akaashi walked to the back of the court, holding his hand tightly, intensely gazing at it, he could tell that Bokuto was doing the same. 

This was going to be the two longest days he would ever have to live through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO. Ive been pretty good updating every 1 or 2 days and hopefully that doesn't drop down. But I am writing this at like 2am soooo if you see spelling mistakes or think the quality is less than usual ;) then you are correct, and I am impossibly sorry.
> 
> I also apologise for this chapter being so long, especially because its basically another filler...or is this actual plot  
> :( *gulps*  
> I swear i'll try reign it in and make it less boring next time. No promises.


	5. Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashis secret is leaked, and he's not happy about it.
> 
> Warning: there's a somewhat detailed description of a mild panic attack. If you can't handle that then please comment and I'll tell you what parts to avoid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this chapter both Akaashi and Bokuto perspectives woohooh!

The air rang with shouts, thumping of receives and calls for a spike. Akaashi devoured all of these sounds, eyes unable to pull away from Bokuto Kotaro. His...soul mate. It felt unreal.

They had played one set already, his team losing, and now they were half way through their second. This meant he knew he'd be switched in soon, would try throw off the other team with his new plays, his fast style and calm collected technique. 

The only reason he was the sub setter was because their main setter was a third year, and their team prided themselves on honor. No matter how good Akaashi was, they wouldn't trade a first year for an experienced third year. Or at least not until half way through the match, when they realized they needed his adapted skills. 

But for now. For now he could watch, and he was glad for it. As ridiculous as it sounds, Bokuto totally wasn't, as well as totally was, the image he had attached to the voice of writing that littered Akaashis skin. Excitable.

He watched as Bokuto wiped the sweat from his forehead, eyes concentrating, waiting with a serious expression, and then he was calling for the ball, launching into the air with a flawless form and slamming a cross spike down over the net. The smile returned to his face, he lifted his arms in victory, swiveling around to demand the attention of his team. 

Akaashi pulled his hands away from each other as they threatened to clap, instead curling his fingers over his knees.

From his showy bleached hair that looked like the soft baby feathers under a wing, to his animated grin, always high and proud on his face, apart from when contemplating the game. It all matched the exclamation marks, obvious asks for praise and frivolous innocent questions that he had bombarded Akaashi with only just last night. 

I mean who had a favorite brand of spaghetti. Who asked if someone had a favorite brand of spaghetti. How was Akaashi meant to answer that?

Suddenly he was besieged by hot breath and heavy pants as Konoha came and sat on the bench, being switched out.

“Were gonna need you sooner than expected” Konoha laughed as Akaashi handed him a water bottle. He skulled it down with tremendous force.

“Yeah” Akaashi sighed, pulling at the long sleeves of his elbow pads. Konoha followed his movement, frowning.

“Those sure are gonna be annoying. I basically had to fight the coaches nosy questions away as to why you were wearing them”.

“Well I think everyone's being a little nosy” Akaashi huffed, eyes drifting back to the court, where he found Bokuto was staring at him. His heart seemed to stop before jolting back into motion, hammering against his rib cage. The boys eyes scrutinized him, neutral but curious expression upon his face.

Akaashi gave a simple nervous smile, lifting his hand from his leg to give a short wave. Bokutos eyes widened, lips parting before he was grinning back, a powerful 100watt smile.

In fact Bokuto was so intrigued by their interaction that he nearly didn't see the ball flying towards him, and he received it just in time, calling “cover” rather guilty. His eyes flickered back to Akaashis momentarily before returning to the game. Akaashi just snickered to himself, ignoring the prying eyes of Konoha beside him.

“Ohoho so thats the lucky guy” Konoha chuckled.

Akashis eyes snapped to him with annoyance. Why did he have to speak so loud.  
“He doesn't know, so don't go cat calling him for me” he stated, giving an earnest face.

Suddenly there was a whistle, and his eyes flickered to see that he was being called into the match.  
He rose on two unsteady feet. Never before had he felt this jittery before a game. It made him skittish as he left the bench, Konoha calling a “try not to faint” from behind.

Once he had his two feet planted on the court, it felt unreal. Across the net was Kuroo, and it felt weird to take in someone he had only heard stories about. Finally a name to a face, and a very smirky face indeed, as he waggled his eyebrows at Akaashi.

Akaashi cocked an eyebrow at him, as if in challenge, and Kuroo only grinned harder.

The whistle blew and their team served, easily being picked up and tossed to the one of the other teams spiker. It was slammed down, but made direct contact with their liberos arms. 

Then the ball was flying to Akaashi, his feet left the floor, arms out stretched. His fingers grazed the ball before it fell to his finger tips, only to be pushed back up and across the court to their right side spiker. The spiker dragged back his arm and threw it forward like a whip, hitting the ball right in the direction of Bokuto. 

Bokuto who's attention seemed to be not on the ball, but rather on Akaashis form.

Fear danced in his chest as he watched the scene play out. The ball smacked Bokuto square in the face, blowing him backwards and to the floor.

The gym fell into a second of long silence before everything jumped back into action. 

The other team immediately crowded around their ace, crouching down at his side, calling his name, and clamoring. Akaashis hands itched to pull up the net and duck underneath, to go see if he was alright. And so he did. Their teams spiker fretted before following, hot on his heels.

He approached the circle of people, gazing over the top see Bokuto was for sure cold hard knocked out, arms sprawled beside him on the wooden floors.

“Er, uh” Kuroo scratched the back of his neck as all their team mates looked to each other, and then back to their coach, who seemed to be confused as to what was going on.

“Oh jeez, I'm so so sorry” their spiker apologized, hands flittering everywhere. 

“You need to get an icepack on that” Akaashi pointed at Bokutos forehead, and suddenly everyones eyes were on him. He shrugged. “Probably take him to a quiet space, and just wait for him to come to”.

“Rightio” Kuroo clapped his hands together. The whole team backed up as Kuroo pulled Bokuto up with the help of Akaashis teams spiker, who was still looking rather distraught.

“Come now, he'll be alright. Lets get back to it” the coach called, beckoning them all to resume their positions.

Kuroo and Akaashis eyes seemed to connect in a split moment as Bokuto was carried off, and then Akaashi was following close behind. He tucked his hands behind his back, anxiously pulling and picking at his nails as they walked outside. Kuroo lead them through the school until they emerged in a large courtyard, looking out over a large stretch of field, trees and other parts of the school.

He watched as they laid Bokuto down on a bench, careful and meticulous about his long limbs. His face looked soft and innocent, eyelashes fluttering over closed eyes and a peaceful but somewhat scrunched expression. Some of his hair had fallen down, strands laying over his forehead, out of place.

“Are you coming back to the game” the spiker asked him, as he turned to walk off. He looked confused as to why Akaashi wasn't making a move to leave.

“No i'll stay and make sure he gets the care he needs”. Akaashis eyes flittered to Kuroos, who was already watching with interest. 

“Okay, i'll tell the coach” the spiker nodded before running off in the opposite direction.

And then he was left there with Kuroo, who was looking positively smirky.

“Wellllll, since you've had your eyes on him for a while, I don't think you'll mind keeping an eye on him a little longer while I go get that icepack?” Kuroo asked. His voice was cognizant, and also sounded a little sharp, a little irked.

Akaashi blinked a few times, taken a back at the comment,  
“No. Please do go. He'll be fine with me” he gestured his head for him to take his absence.

Kuroo chucked his hands in his pockets and sniggered. Akaashi tried not to glare so hard at his back as he walked away. When he finally disappeared around the corner, his eyes were dragged back to Bokutos motionless form.

He approached, apprehensive about what he would do now. Looking at how he was lying, Akaashi hesitantly sat on the bench next to him, hands sliding gently under his head, before scooting over. And then he placed Bokutos head back and into his lap.

Bokutos eyelashes seemed to beat against his cheeks for a quick second. Then his face let out any withholding tension out, smoothing his features and even bringing a small quirk of the lips in a smile.

Akaashi gazed down softly at him, feeling the light breeze ruffle through his own curls as well as Bokutos own simple fluffy strands. 

With conscientious hands, he let his fingers fall down into Bokutos hair, fingertips grazing his head, nails pushing through the knots and tangles in a soft rhythm.

Bokuto exhaled cutely, although still unconscious. Akaashi felt his hand stutter in place, before returning to the pattern. A smile graced his face and his heart filled with adoration at his soul mate, right underneath his hands. It felt like it was meant to be, it felt like something he could learn to become familiar with.

This....  
This was nice.

~~~

The first thing he felt was the mind warming numbness of something pillowing his head, soft and kind of squishy. But it was nothing compared to the dragging sensation of electricity across his head. It sent warm vibrations down his spine, peaceful and soothing like the static flowing through his brain.

He barely perceived that it was someone carding through his hair, but at this time he had no cares as to who it was. He sat in the realm of half consciousness, soaking up the attention. It felt satisfying, the gentle touch lulling him back into a pleasant warm sleep.

So when the hand pulled away, the touch stopped. Bokuto wanted to chase the delicate touch, the hands that felt like they belonged there.

“What do you think you're doing?” a hazy voice broke through his mind. Who was that? 

“I-I just thought” another voice spoke, nervousness clinging to every word.

The pillow underneath his head grew tense. His eyes snapped open, and all at once pain fled into his forehead, throbbed in his muscles and pulsated in his brain. He tried reoriented himself, but the thrumming of blood rushing in his head was a steady roar to his ears.

“Bokuto?” Kuroo asked, surprised.

Bokutos eyes fluttered briefly as he took in his surroundings, finding that the world was on its side.  
He reached up and gingerly rubbed at his eyes, pressing hard to try get the vague, unclearness out of his head. It felt like he had just waken up from a hefty nap. 

“Kuroo?” his voice cracked slightly, eyes flickering up to take in his friend. His friend who was looking suspiciously at someone over Bokutos head. 

Suddenly the warmth under his head was pulled away and his head connected with nothing, coming down to hit the cold metal bench underneath him with a 'thwump'.

“Sorry!” he heard a fretful voice. Bokuto pushed himself up into a sitting position, caressing his head soothingly, only to come eye to eye with a boy. The very same one he had seen before everything turned dark. Black midnight curls, silky graceful skin and long lashes over dark blue misty eyes. He looked worried.

“It's okay” he groaned, hand falling from his hair. He didn't want to panic the very angel that stood in front of him. Their hands wandered in the air, looking as if they wanted to settle back on Bokuto, take care of the hurt they had caused.

“Well” Kuroo sent one last glance at the boy. “I got you an icepack, man” Kuroo sighed, sitting down next to him to place the cold pack on the bench.

“What happened?” Bokuto asked. He was slowly coming to. 

He could see that they were indeed not in the gymnasium anymore, but outside in a wide stretch of grassy courtyard. The cold metal bench sat under him, nipping at his warm skin.

“You got knocked out from an oncoming spike. It's only been around 15 minutes, so I wouldn't worry too hard about any brain hemorrhages or what not”.

“He wouldn't have one” the boy standing across from them twisted his mouth to the side.

“And what are you still doing here Mr.flirt. Still looking to try take advantage while he's coming round” Kuroo bit back, gesturing to Bokuto.

Immediately the boy frowned, eyebrow twitching.  
“I was just trying to help” he muttered. And then he was turning on his heel about to leave.  
But Bokuto couldn't have that.

Jumping to his feet, he dashed forward and grabbed the boys arm.  
“Shit wait, don't listen to him. I really am thankful, I swear” Bokuto blinks, trying to convey thoughtfulness through his voice alone.

Instead the boy only pulled away his arm hurriedly, and Bokuto realized he had dragged down a part of his elbow pad. The boys eyes were wide, scared, but his expression held neutral.

“Thats fine, at least your doing better now” he nodded, black curls bouncing with the movement. The boy flashed a sharp look towards Kuroo.

Bokuto swiveled his head to find that Kuroo was looking at the very place the elbow pad had been pulled down. He had parted lips, furrowed brows and confused eyes which swept up to meet Akaashis own grim ones. What was going on? Was there something he was missing?

“Please excuse me now” the curly haired boy said, politely giving a half bow before breaking away from the group and walking away. Rather hastily, he might add.

Bokuto bit his lip, perplexed. He watched astonishment wash over Kuroos face before falling off completely in turn for a indifferent expression. 

“How are you doing, buddy?” Kuroo asked, taking a step forward before deciding against it. Instead he turned and grabbed for the ice pack.

“Thanks” Bokuto automatically said, taking the icepack and placing it to his throbbing forehead. The ice immediately cooled it, taking away the angry burn that surely should of faded away by now.

“What was that all about?” Bokuto asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Kuroo sucked the front of his teeth, looking as if in turmoil. 

“Do you know that person at all?” Kuroo asked, ignoring Bokutos previous question.

Of course he didn't know who that was. Admittedly they were cute and happened to be the devastation of Bokutos current situation, as he pressed the cold pack harder to his head. But otherwise no he had no idea? They were just pretty and had looked rather distressed when an agitated Kuroo called them out for touching Bokuto.

He guessed Kuroo was only frantically protecting him, anxious that he might still be hurt. They had been touching his injured head after all. Not that he minded a single bit. Quite the opposite actually.

“Never met em” Bokuto shook his head, eliciting an even more confused reaction from Kuroo.

“Hey” Bokuto punched Kuroo in the arm. It shook the raven out of daze, and he shot Bokuto a glare.

“Can you tell me whats going on!? Why do you look like someone just told you the earth is flat” Bokuto huffed.

“Don't worry about it” Kuroo returned to his easy grin, and the two of them started off back towards the gymnasium.

“Tetsuuuu” Bokuto whined.

“Just” Kuroo snorted. “That guy has some good reasons for wearing long elbow pads”.

“Cause they look cool?” Bokuto tilted his head in question.

“Wow nothing escapes you, does it”.

“Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?”.

~~~

He couldn't take it. No. More like his heart couldn't take it. This whole day had been whirlwinds of emotions that stole his breath, made his pulse beat erratically and brought sweat to his temples.

He was glad to have escaped with his head, now walking speedily away from the two figures behind him. He was sure Kuroo had seen it, even if it was just for a quick second. 

The water lily had been slightly rubbed off from the chaffing of his elbow pad, sweat included in the mix, but it was still prominent on his skin. And the raven head had seen it. 

Thank god Bokuto had his eyes on Akaashis face and not on where he pulled down the material.

Pushing his way into the bathroom, Akaashi ripped of the elbow pads, throwing them down by the sink, forcefully. He leaned down and turned on faucet, stuck his elbow under, and began to scrub. He washed away at the remaining ink, watching as the petals fell away to faint lines, and then nothing. 

When finished, he turned off the tap, and then just stood there, looking down at the sink. He dropped to his elbows on the surface, caressing his head. His breaths came sharp and short, chest heaving. The beating of his heart was out of control, and he felt the anxiety gradually creep up and hit him, full force. 

Blood pounded in his ears, his hands shook and feet tingled. Why was everything so goddamn blurry now. He tried to push himself up and away from the sink, but he couldn't move, his body only capable of the trembling shudders. 

There was a sudden sound of a whimper, desperate and high pitched, and Akaashi realized it had come from his own mouth. Was this what a panic attack felt like, or was it an anxiety attack. He couldn't think properly.

It was all the fears and growing despair, striking him like a knife to the chest. He didn't want Bokuto to find out it was him. He couldn't do it. When he held Bokuto, it was so pure feeling, like they fit perfectly, like he was meant to be there to protect him. 

But it would all be ruined if he found out. They would be happy, but it wouldn't be allowed. His mother would disobey it. She was strict, rigorous when it came to punishments, and she would never let him see Bokuto. His life was only made of restrictions, and he could image how worse it could only get from here. To add on top, she had to be homophobic, telling by the way she looked at same sex couples. She would never accept him. 

He. Couldn't. Do. It.

But for now it was fine right. No one knew, only Kuroo, and he could probably persuade him to keep it a secret. It would all be fine...right? Right. 

Slowly Akaashi began to take deep breaths, his vision restored and his limbs only shorten to small tremors and shakes. Eyes fluttering shut, he took a large inhale before he pushed himself up from the sink. The image he saw in the mirror was not himself, pale, somber and pain stricken.

Leaning down he splashed some water over his face. He pulled up his shirt to wipe the droplets away as he left the bathroom, breathing steady once again.

When he was heading back, he noticed that the sky had started growing dark, orange hues washing away to reveal a moon in the sky, early enough to still say goodbye to the sun.

Upon entering the gym, he found that the games had just finished, everybody cooling down with stretches or running. Easily his eyes spotted Bokuto and Kuroo. They had rejoined their team, and were stretching, leaning forward to grab their toes, slightly pulling them towards their upper body.

They seemed to be in a deep conversation, but with the way Bokuto was throwing his head back in laughter, Akaashi could tell it wasn't serious.

Sighing, he turned in the opposite direction where his team stood, having just finished their after match routine. Immediately Konohas eyes caught him strolling towards the group, and he stepped away, walking over to meet Akaashi half way.

“Hey, where have you been!?” Konoha asked, worries obvious in his expression. Akaashi only shook his head at the display.

“I just took a quick break, was feeling rather hot” Akaashi smiled weakly.  
“Im fine, don't worry about me” he added, when Konoha began to look him up and down, probing him with analytical eyes.

“Right, well nice elbows” Konoha noted, gesturing to the pads clutched in Akaashi grip.  
“Were gonna have dinner soon” he reported, as they walked back to their team.

And oh god, that was the last thing on his mind right now. He felt like he might just gag at the thought of trying to force food down his throat, having it sit uncomfortable in his unsettled stomach.

“I think I might just wash up and go to bed actually” Akaashi mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck.

“Whats this, is Keiji sick?” Sugawara asked, stepping closer to the two. The rest of the team were busy talking, wiping down with towels and drinking.

“I promise you its nothing, really” Akaashi held his hands up to the concerned eyes of their third year setter.

“Hmm” Suga hummed.

“All he needs is a bit of food in him, right?” Konoha chuckled, throwing an arm round his neck. “You must have low blood sugar” he snorted and pulled Akaashi along as everybody headed out the gymnasium and to the cafeteria. 

“I'm not hypoglycemic, Konoha” Akaashi clicked his tongue.

“It doesn't matter, I'm just looking forward to seeing how many thin mints I can hold in my mouth”.

“What does that have to do with me?” Akaashi asked.

“Well it's not fun if theres no one to compete with” Konoha whined.

Akashi was more than happy when he sat down at his own table. His plate was stacked with the minimalist food he could get away with, without being shot stern glances by their coach. 

Konoha had ditched him in turn with entertaining a group of first years from a different team, biscuit packet in hand. He couldn't say he'd miss him, not right now. Right now he needed to be alone, gather his thoughts. 

This unfortunately changed when a tray slapped down on the table in front of him, two long legs sliding over the bench. Two legs attached to the body of Kuroo.

“Kuroo” Akaashi stated, looking at him under straight brows and a pinched mouth.

The raven heads eyebrows rose, perilously and his shit eating grin only made Akaashi want to push him backwards off his seat.

“Oh so you know my name? Do you happen to know Bokutos too?” he asked with a sing song voice, turning to look at his friend over his shoulder.

Bokuto happened to be in a very heated discussion with a third year as they loaded their plates with food.

“Well since you've just told me, yes I do” Akaashi huffed out a short laugh. He made sure to interweave the annoyance in his voice. It seemed to work as Kuroos face fell.

“Look I'm here cause we got off on the wrong foot, okay. Im here to apologize” Kuroo waved his hands around in circles, contemplating his next words.

“Were most likely going to be seeing each other a lot from now on” he spoke, like it was obvious.

“Why would that be?” Akaashi asked, tilting his head.

“Well because you two are soulma-”. Akaashis hand darted out to cover his mouth before he could finish. Honestly his voice was booming.

“So you did see” Akaashis voice dropped into a hushed whisper.

Kuroo rolled his eyes, grin back on his face.  
“You have a real talent with drawing, don't ya?”.

“Did you..” Akaashi trailed off. “Did you tell him?”.

Kuroos eyes widened slightly.  
“Trust me, you would know it if he knew you were his soul mate. He isn't forgiving when it comes to affection. Honestly it's overwhelming” Kuroo laughed.

The tension between them seemed to waver, and then Akaashi was smiling too, breaking it completely.

“He's how I imagined for sure” Akaashi nodded, thoughtfully.

“About that” Kuroos face fell serious again. “Why aren't you telling him, in fact, you two only started talking about a day ago. All of this is...ugh” he scrunched his face. “You see why I have a bone to pick with you”.

Akaashi understood. There were gaps that needed to be filled, but he wasn't so sure if he should spill his knowledge. He didn't know Kuroo well enough yet, and talking about his problems was not going to make him feel any better about keeping everyone in the dark. He had a good reason to keep it this way.

When Akaashi didn't speak, only looked down at the table, Kuroo took it upon himself to speak again.

“You know he tried talking to you for months. You crossed out every single thing, no matter what” his voice rose as he talked. 

And for some reason, Akaashi didn't wither under Kuroos glaring gaze, didn't try to shush him. Instead he felt anger. He had no idea what Akaashis life was. How dare he pry.

“You need to stop” Akaashi seethed between his teeth. “That was for his own good”.

“It was, was it?” Kuroo snarked back.

“How would you know? You don't know anything about my predicament” Akaashi bit back, and Kuroos frown seemed to lessen. 

“I cant have anyone finding out. Especially not my-” Akaashi bit his tongue as his words dropped away to nothing.

“...Who cant find out” Kuroos eyes narrowed, with question.

“Look, its not like i'm not planning to tell him” Akaashi sighed, anger draining away. “Just...” he trailed off again.

“Hey” Kuroos eyes softened. “Its okay. I might not understand but....I understand well enough. I wasn't going to tell him or anything”.

The tension seemed to leak out of his shoulders and he set a very firm look on Kuroos face.

“Thankyou” he managed to get out, just before another tray fell to the table, jerking Kuroo and Akaashi out of their deep trance. His eyes swiveled to take in Bokuto sliding into the seat next to Kuroo.

“Wow, thats nothing” Bokuto noted, looking at Akaashis small plate. It was quite the opposite to Bokutos mountain of food, stacked high.

“You're just a pig” Kuroo chuckled, poking at his own food with a fork. At least he had a decently normal amount. Bokuto stuck his tongue out in reply.

“So, hey hey, whats your name?” Bokuto asked, eyes suddenly on Akaashi.

Should he tell him... this meant when they wrote on each other, he wouldn't be able to tell Bokuto his name. If he did, it wouldn't be too hard to connect the dots.

“Akaashi” he smiled, politely. Well there goes that.

“Akaashiiii” Bokuto drawled out slowly, looking towards the ceiling as he tested out the new word, rolling it around his mouth. Suddenly his gaze fell back to him.

“You know Akaashi! You're super pretty! Like the prettiest guy I've ever seen!” Bokuto exclaimed, excitedly.

“O-oh” Akaashi blinked. He tried to ignore the flutters in his chest, the new clamminess of his palms.

“Dude” Kuroo gave a fake frown. “You have a soul mate”.

Bokuto seemed to brighten up at that. “I do!”. Then his face fell again. Akaashi wondered how he could pass through multiple expressions like it was nothing.

“Apart from the drawing is gone now” he pouted, dragging his upper arm up to look down at the spot Akaashi had washed not even an hour ago.

And then Bokuto was seemingly pulling a pen out of no where, putting it to his arm.  
“Im gonna write to him!”.

“No!” Kuroo and Akaashi both ended up yelping in unison.

Bokutos eyes widened and he removed the pen from his skin, looking between them, confused.

Akaashi tore his gaze away to look at his own arm, finding an ink dot that was not there before. Luckily it wasn't that noticeable, looking like some of the other darker freckled that littered his arm, and he sighed silently with relief.

“What, why not?” Bokuto asked, tilting his head, brows knitted together.

“Didn't you say they had a test today” Kuroo coughed out, and Akaashi turned to look at him.

Kuroo broke the eye contact with him, guiltily. Of course Bokuto would tell his best friend about anything that happened to him. Kuroo probably knew a lot more about Akaashi than Akaashi knew about him.

“Dude, its like...way after school hours” Bokuto narrowed his eyes.

“I think its okay to write to them” Akaashi scratched his cheek, meekly. Kuroos eyes shot to him, questioning.

“But you'll have to excuse me. Im rather tired and I want to try get a sleeping spot away from Konoha and his kicking legs that have a mind of their own”.

Bokuto broke into an easy grin, all traces of suspiciousness lost on his face.  
“Oh okay. Goodnight Kaashi, see ya tomorrow, yea?”.

Akaashi stood from the table, picking his tray up with him.  
“Of course, Bokuto-san”.

“Just Bokuto” he corrected.

“Bokuto” Akaashi repeated with a nod.

And then he was walking off, just in time for the inky words to spring to his arms. He blessed himself that he should be so lucky to escape for the second time that day as he walked out of the room and to the sleeping quarters.

This was getting out of control, and he needed to fix it fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi hi, I swear Kuroo and Akaashi are going to become good friends. I just needed to show that Kuroo was a loyal friend to Bokuto beforehand (▰˘◡˘▰)
> 
> My chapters also seem to be getting longer every time and I have no idea if thats a bad thing or a good thing.  
> It should be good right? Even if its piss poor quality because my brain likes to have inspiration at 3am ;-;
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!  
> And I really love all your comments so so much aghhhh.  
> Thank you, really.


	6. Cease my Worries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto falls for a stranger who doesn't feel so much like a stranger.

“I seriously don't think you can can jump from 5 stories without hurting yourself”.

“No I swear I've seen cats do it before!”.

“You are not a cat, Bokuto”.

“You're right, I'd rather be an owl. What about you?”

“I don't know. I suppose a sea urchin”.

“What? Those spiky things underwater. Dude thats boring”.

“Did you just call your soulmate dude”.

“Hot, am I right?”.

“Unbelievably so”.

“You know I can tell what sarcasm is even through writing”.

“...I have no idea what you're referring to”. 

Bokuto could basically feel the cheeky tone conveyed through the writing on his skin. 

He snickered, spinning the pen in his hand as he read over the words. His soulmate and him had been talking for an hour, and already Bokuto was slowly picking up more and more traits. 

At first it had seemed that they were smart, way too smart. Like a whole different league, and he was sure they still were. But he also saw the underlying witty remarks and the brazen he sometimes slipped in, just like right now. It was enticing, and he found that their personalities made it easy to banter.

“Bokuto, if you do not go to sleep right fucking now” Kuroos voice came from beside him.

Bokuto twisted to the side, shining his phone onto his friends face. Kuroo immediately hissed at the light, scrambling to shove a pillow over his own face. Bokuto chortled at his reaction.

“And turn off your bloody phone light, its nearly midnight!” the voice came muffled from behind the pillow.

“Nooo, you don't understand. They like to talk at night” Bokuto pouted. “It seems like they're always busy, until this time”.

“Maybe they have insomnia, and the only way to sleep is to bore themselves by talking to you” Kuroo groaned, flipping over to his stomach. 

He laid his arms either side of the pillow, effectively shoving it to both sides of his head, hair pinched between. Bokuto already knew that was his default sleeping position, and for sure how he got his wild bed head.

“Go suck a dick” Bokuto retorted.

“God I wish I could suck a dick”.

“We're at a boys training camp, go take your pick of all the sleeping dudes here”.

“Bokuto thats called sexual harassment” Kuroo half cackled, half disapproved. 

“Okay, okay, i'll say goodnight then” Bokuto rolled his eyes, flipping the middle finger at the ravens back.

“Don't think I don't know what you just did” Kuroos deadened voice came, muted from the pillow.

Bokuto immediately shoved his hand down at being caught and rolled his eyes, instead grabbing for the pen again. He had learned to keep his writing down to a small fine print now, and the reward was that he had only tattooed two of his arms instead of his whole body this time. 

“Sorry I gotta go. I have a feeling that if I keep writing, I wont wake up tomorrow”.

“That's cryptic” the words sank into his skin with blue ink.

“It means I have an angry best friend who values at least 7 hours of sleep every night”.

“Right, sorry for keeping you up again”. The words seemed apologetic.

“No I love talking to you!” he wrote back hurriedly.

“As do I”. And at that, his heart hummed a happy rhythm, buzzing in his chest.

“Bokuto” came Kuroos voice, low and threatening.

“Night!”.

“Goodnight”.

Reluctantly Bokuto shut off his phone light, shoving it under his pillow, and he flipped onto his back. It ached from lying on his stomach so long and his hand felt cramped. He had never written this much before, not even in class. 

He could ask for their number, but he had a feeling that would be too far. They wouldn't even tell him their name yet. And that was like step one in courtship rules, right? 

“Great are you going to sleep now” Kuroo rose his head, dull eyes piercing him with exasperation.

He hummed, bringing a finger up to tap his chin.  
“Nope!”. He shoved the duvet off him and jumped to his feet. “I need to pee”.

“At least i'll be able to sleep the 5 minutes you'll be gone” Kuroo grumbled in discontent, as Bokuto stepped over him.

“Good luck with that” Bokuto sung in a shushed whisper, dodging the hand that darted out to try grab his ankle.

It was a chilly night, the frosty air crawled up his legs like a snake, making his movements feel stiff as he walked through the corridors. Sometimes he cursed about how his school had more of a flat layout of classes, rather than one large building. That meant that half the bathrooms were in their own buildings and half of them outside. He wasn't going to wake up anyone by using the ones inside.

Stepping outside, the frozen ground seeped into the pads of his feet, and he ambled his way out and into the crisp air. The moon was high and luminescent in the sky, cascading the landscape into a coating of pale blue and shining white. It felt ethereal, like he was standing in a place outside of time.

And thats when he saw it. More like thats when he saw him. 

Akaashi was situated only meters away, sitting on the ground, back to the brick wall of a building. His lean frame was leant back, head tilted to watch the sky. His long legs laid languid in front of him, half propped up, hands perched upon his knees.

As Bokuto looked closer, he couldn't help but think how surreal he looked. His pale skin shinned in the moonlight, his black inky hair a dark contrast, and his face held a small smile, eyelashes dancing in small shadows across his cheek. 

It was almost as if he had seen a deer across a lake, and any sudden movement might mean a dash to escape, the fleeing of something he swear he would think would be a dream in the morning.

Upon taking a step closer, the small pebbles under his food grazed the concrete, and Akaashis head whipped around to look at the sound. Oh god how creepy he must look. But instead of bewilderment, Akaashis smile only grew wider, as if he had somehow been expecting him.

Bokuto didn't know if that was an invitation, but he found his feet carrying him forwards. Akaashis eyes were a mix of shining blue and green, and they followed him as he plopped down on the ground, also settling against the brick so they were side by side. The cold bit his legs and he flicked the stones digging into skin, from out under his legs, choosing to cross them.

“So”. Bokuto cleared his throat. “What are you doing out here?”.

He watched as Akaashi pursed his lips in thought, as if the words he would speak next, had major consequences.

“I have insomnia” Akaashi shrugged, eyes choosing to fixate on the sky.

“Oh, sorry. That must suck. I know I'd rather be asleep right now” Bokuto smiled, sleepily, resisting the urge to rub at his eyes. He was more of a morning person rather than a night owl. 

“Well night makes up half of all time” he broke off into an easy smile. “ and i'd rather not be a motionless log through it all anyway”.

Bokuto only hummed in acknowledgment as his eyes also drifted off to the sky. It was such a clear night. The air around them held still, only pierced by the sound of a few crickets.

“So, what are you doing out here then?” Akaashi asked, eyes drifting back down to Bokuto.

“Oh I was just” he looked down to his arms. They were inscribed with a hundred words exchanged over the night. They served him a good happiness, and Bokuto found he didn't have to finish his sentence as Akaashi nodded.

“You were talking to your soul mate”.

It didn't really answer the previous question to why he was out here, but whatever.

Bokutos eyes darted back up to Akaashi. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt, droopy and oversized. It lay loose over him, exposing his collar bones and an expanse of porcelain skin. Bokuto had to force himself to drag away his eyes and back to Akaashis face, where he was cocking an eyebrow.

“Yea” he choked out with a cough, feeling sheepish. “Do you write to your soulmate?” he asked, suddenly curious, or just begging for anything to divert the attention from himself.

“Yes...minimally. But that's my fault” his breath seemed to stutter, wondering if he should go on.

"Sometimes I feel as though I might not be good enough for them, or that I don't give as much as they do. Only take when I want, and leave them feeling used” he sighed, his posture slumping.

And Bokutos eyes widened. He didn't peg Akaashi as an over sharer, not that he knew much about him. But he could tell that this was a vulnerable moment. Perhaps it was because it was so late at night, the moon shining innocent and glossy over the two of them as they sat and talked.

His heart strained as he looked at the self pitting expression adorning Akaashis face. He felt like he wanted to reach forward, hold him until he forgot his troubles. It was almost like a gravitational pull, and he found himself unable to resist, placing a hand on Akaashis arm.

The boy jolted, darting to look at the touch and then Bokuto, but then his eyes slowly softened, and his body relaxed.

“I get it. It's hard. I don't know much advice, but I can kind of relate. My soul mate, as well as being great...well they won't even tell me their name” he reluctantly pulled his hand away.

Akaashi nodded, although somewhat robotically. Bokuto could only guess he was only trying to give his full attention to the story.

“Its like every time I find something new about them and I take a step forward, they end up taking two steps back. Hiding themselves, like they don't want to be known. And I just-” Bokuto groaned, eyes closing. “I want to know them so bad”.

“Because they're you're soul mate and you feel inclined to?”.

Bokutos eyes flickered open, and found Akaashi staring with only a neutral face.

“Well I guess it started off like that, but now...I don't know. I'm kind of attached, always looking to chase more from them. But it's never enough”.

There was a moment of silence in which Bokuto thought he had said something wrong as Akaashi seemed to twist his mouth, obviously juggling thoughts in his head. 

“Do you believe in soul mates?”.

He blinked a few times. It wasn't off topic, but it felt like a whole new level. He hadn't really thought about it before. He had just assumed that the world went round, the birds woke up in the morning and there were also soul mates.

“I'm unsure” Bokuto scratched his head. “What do you think?”.

Akaashi gave a hum from the back of his throat.  
“I find it hard to believe that two people were simply made for each other. It sounds ridiculous. But then I find that what everyone talks about is, to a degree, true”.

“And what do people talk about?”.

“The way they talk about their soul mates. How they feel when they're near them. Like nothing bad could happen, everything fitting perfectly, the link between them being too powerful to ignore. All of that sappy mojo that you'd find in romance novels”.

Bokutos mouth seemed to drop open, if only a bit. Because that sounded so familiar.

“But then I think. How could that only be directed at one person. Are there not others you could share the same feeling with, even if not related by a soul bond”.

“I know what you mean!” Bokuto interrupted. “I have all these feelings for my soul mate, and yea my heart goes doki doki whenever they talk to me, but its hard when I never see them and have never properly talked to them. Meanwhile there's other people who make me feel the same way!”.

“Oh?” Akaashis eyebrows seemed to slump.

“But then I feel guilty!” Bokuto frowned.

“Its not abnormal to experiment before you get together with your soul mate, or if you get together with them” Akaashis voice sounded strained.

“Thats not what i'm talking about. What I mean is that the same feeling I feel for my soulmate is the exact same I feel for...someone else. Like just as strong”.

“Ah, I understand now”.

“What do I do, Akaashi” he groaned, throwing his hands over his face.

“Well first off, can you tell me who this person is?” Akaashi asked.

And Bokuto blushed. Because no way in hell was he going to tell Akaashi that he was the very person he might ever so slightly feel attracted to. Or a lot.

Not attracted to as in “Wow you're hot!”.  
Not that he wasn't but, it was more the attraction of wanting to be with him, just be closer.

He had hardly knew this person, and yet his brain was a scrambled egg, his heart telling him two different things and pulling him two different ways. He should be faithful to his soul mate. But then again, his soul mate didn't even seem willing at times. The only bridge between them, the writing on his arm. And he yearned for more. He felt depraved of the warmth he so badly wanted in his arms. To have someone he connected with emotionally and physically.

He was nothing but bold and unwavering with his affections. If he did like someone, he would tell them of course! and he wanted to tell Akaashi. But for some reason, as well as it felt resolute, it also felt rude.

Akaashi would maybe think of himself as a second choice, only being played with until Bokuto ran off to be with his true soul mate. Not to mention, Akaashi had a soul mate himself! What was he even thinking. 

Bokuto suddenly noticed that he had not replied for a while, hands still slapped over his face. Slowly he pulled them away. Akaashis worried expression is what peered back at him. 

His eyes dragged down to Akaashis hands, and they looked as if they itched to comfort him, prickling with irritation as he instead curled them on the ground. 

“You probably think that's weird, don't you” Bokuto snorted, hands falling to trace circles on the concrete.

…

“No, Bokuto-san. I think that you're feelings are justified”.

And Bokutos hands seemed to falter...

“There are multitudes of people who aren't with their soul mate, and not just as in dating before they settle down. I mean truly are with different people, and they're happy. You don't have to beat yourself up about it. Those strong feelings are rational”. Akaashis mouth snapped shut when he realized he was on the verge of rambling.

“Or...at least they are to me” he mumbled, eyes falling away to the ground, embarrassed

...

“It's just Bokuto”.

“Huh?” Akaashi asked, eyes flickering back to him.

“You keep saying Bokuto-san. Its just Bokuto” he laughed.

“Oh...yea” Akaashi smiled. He brought a hand to rub at the tops of his cheeks, where a blush sat. And man his eyes were beautiful. Intense gunmetal blue, with flecks of green and they looked on with so much fondness.

So cute; he thought.

“Thanks for that. I needed to hear it” Bokuto shook his head, smile climbing onto his face as he peered back up to the sky.

“Whoever they are, they're lucky” Akaashi smiled back, following his gaze.

And then it was the static silence, broken by the chirping of the crickets. The sky, so clear. The moon, so big, so bright. Again, ethereal. Time had really stopped, just for them.

And if Bokutos hand happened to scoot over. If his pinky happened to nudge Akaashis own, until they were entwined, heads still turned towards the sky. Then yes it happened. It happened and it felt wrong...but it felt right. More so than ever.

Because it didn't matter if there were soul mates or not. It didn't matter if they were just two random people who happened to like each other. Bokuto had mistakes, he assumed Akaashi had mistakes, but the two of them sat content to be in each others company, and he would not trade a second of it.

If that meant delaying finding out who the other person on the side of the writing was, then so be it. Right now he was happy, and thats all he could ask for. And boy did he ask for so little, it almost hurt to feel fulfilled right now.

But no moment was perfect, and soon the trance was broken.

“What the heck, I thought you were dead. Eaten by the wolves! Fallen down a well!”.

Bokuto swiveled his head to find Kuroo approaching them, hand slapped over his forehead as he grumbled and complained.

Their hands dropped, Bokuto shifted to stand up, and the spell collapsed.

“Ah, sorry man! I thought you were asleep?” Bokuto gave off his best guilty and apologetic face.

“You never came back and I was worried” Kuroos eyes bled with fading anguish. And then the ravens eyes were darting around him and to Akaashi, who had not moved to get up.

“Am I interrupting something” Kuroo asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“If you were, then its none of your business” Akaashi sighed as he stood, brushing off his clothes.

Kuroo gave a questioning look to Bokuto, who only pursed his lips and slid his eyes to the side, trying to fight back a giddy smile. He had so much to tell him later on.

“Well, goodnight Bokuto, thank you for the talk” Akaashi smiled attentively.

“I- wh- yea okay, goodnight Kaashi” Bokuto fumbled with his words, cheeks growing heated as he scratched the back of his head.

“Smooth” Kuroo coughed out.

“Hmm, nice bed-head, Kuroo-san” Akaashi smirked, eyeing the ravens hair up and down.

“Hey, where's my 'I love you and goodnight” Kuroo shot back playfully.

“Who said I can't play favorites' Akaashi smiled, eyes turning towards Bokuto. Bokuto, who's heart had seemed to stop.

“Anyways, i'll see you two tomorrow, bye for now”. He nodded politely before walking off. His figure faded into the distance as he reached his own building, slipping inside.

It felt empty without his presence. He could admit that, unashamed. And so he did.

“I miss him already” Bokuto wiped a fake tear from his eye.

“Dude” Kuroo snorted. “Whipped”.

“Shaddup” Bokuto snapped.

And they walked back to their own sleeping quarters, Kuroo teasing him all the way.  
Oh right, he still needed to pee.

~~~

“Who drew this dick on my face” Kuroo screeched, bursting into the cafeteria, early morning.

Immediately peels of loud laughter and snickers sounded through the room as Kuroo pointed at his cheek where sharpie lay, permanent and bold.

“Oh no, his poor soul mate” Akaashi sniggered from Bokutos side.

“You're lucky he doesn't have one” Bokuto laughed back, pulling another spoonful of cereal to his mouth.

“Who said it was me that did it?” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow, an underlying smirk surging to get out.

“I'm a light sleeper” Bokuto cackled.

And Akaashi smiled at him, eyes mischievous, playful, adoring. Just for him.

So wrong. But so r i g h t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo i'm going on a one week holiday soon, and I wont be publishing every day. (i'll try write a bit)
> 
> My brain must be pushing out all of its creativeness before i'm on a secluded beach island, sipping on a martini and lying on a lounger. Then i'll be be asking myself, what's a synonym? and then shrug.
> 
> Anyways, thank you for the comments again (´ ꒳ ` ✿) I don't deserve them.
> 
> This chapter was just getting Bokuto and Akaashi to know each other a little more before anything serious happens. Sorry it was short.


	7. Red Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi re evaluates his priorities and thinks about his problems.  
> Bokuto is the solution to everything.

By midday, the whole area was ablaze with heat. The sun held steady in the sky, a promise of the sunburns to come if they stayed outside for too long. Everybody had just finished their games and were having an outside break before they were consumed by the gymnasium walls. 

In this sultry heat, Akaashi knew nothing to do but to head immediately to the basin and wash his face. As he turned on the spigot, the water rushed hot over his already torrid hands, being held in the pipes all day. 

He waited till it ran its course, emptying all the built up water. But as much as it cooled down, it still fell lukewarm, and he had no choice but to wash the warm sweat off his face with even more warm water. It was fine, at least he'd be semi clean. 

Although he wasn't sure what to do about the bangs sticking to his forehead. They only seemed to get curlier with the combined heat and moisture. He swore he had a small ringlet near the nape of his neck. God forbid he let Konoha near him, or else he'd surely spend the next few hours playing with it and twirling it over his finger as Akaashi batted him away.

“Heya, curly fry”.

Akaashi paused with his hands scrubbing over his face. He leant forward and turned off the tap, standing up to meet Kuroos gaze. He sighed, pulling his sleeve across his face to wipe away the water.

“Rooster head” Akaashi acknowledged him whilst wiping his hands off on the sides of his shorts.

“I've been called worse” Kuroo shrugged, grin lighting up his face.

“As have I” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow.

“Walk with me?” Kuroo asked, gesturing the way back to the gymnasium.

“I guess I have no other choice, unless I want to run across the roof top of the buildings” Akaashi clicked his tongue as Kuroo chuckled, and the two of them started off down the path.

“So, last night” Kuroo started.

“Ah yes sorry for drawing on your face. I felt a little revengeful and I admit it was childish of me to do so” Akaashi nodded.

“Wh-” Kuroo stumbled over his own feet as he came to a stop in the path. “That was you!?”.

“Oh...No.” Akaashi pursed his lips.

“Anyways, anyways, last night, you didn't tell him, no?” Kuroo asked.

“As you once told me. If Bokuto knew, then we would surely know”

“Then what was all that, hmm?” Kuroo gestured at seemingly nothing. “Lion king references aside, I could literally taste the love in the air”.

“Have I ever told you how gross I think you are” Akaashi deadpanned.

“No, but with the looks you've been giving me, you didn't have to” Kuroo grinned.

Akaashi twisted his mouth around. It would be nice to talk to someone who understood the situation, to a degree. Although, he didn't think it would be wise to try when he hadn't even figured out his problems yet.

“Last night we just talked, and it was nice” Akaashi shrugged.

“And” Kuroo drew out the word.

“And we held hands, and the moon winked at us and the gods gave us a blessing. We have three children now. Bokuto wants to name one of them Daniel, and I hate it”.

“You held hands” Kuroo slapped his hand over his mouth in a fake giddy grin.

“I have a feeling- no -I know that Bokuto prefers me over his soul mate” Akaashi shook his head with calamity.

“You are his soul mate” Kuroo stated, snorting.

“Scientifically speaking, I think he has a closer connection to me through physicality rather than just writing to each other” Akaashi hummed.

“It doesn't help that I've stopped revealing too much information when writing to him. If we talk in reality and then also through ink, i'm pretty sure he would realize his soul mate and I shared a lot of the same things in common”.

“You've barely talked to him while you've been here, how is that possible?”.

“Actually” Akaashi crossed his arms, scowling. “We've been talking all morning. Conversation seems to flow easier when it fees like we're literally being pulled together like an iron speck to a magnet.”.

“That sounds...” Kuroo sniggered. “So sappy coming from your mouth. Oh god, it's so funny how you try explain romance through serious metaphors”.

“Yea well how else am I supposed to explain it” Akaashi rolled is eyes. “He's my soulmate and I want a piece of that?”.

“Oh yea no definitely, kissing Bokuto is a religious experience” Kuroo nodded to the sky.

“Wait what” Akaashis frown fell away to surprise.

“Don't worry it was nothing. It happened when you two weren't talking” Kuroo explained.  
“All I'm saying is, maybe stake your claim before somebody else gets there first” he licked his lips, seductively.

Akaashi immediately snapped out of it. Okay so Kuroo had kissed Bokuto. It shouldn't be such big news. Kuroo was nothing but a harmless nerd drenched in a playboy personality for the effects. And Bokuto liked Akaashi. He knew that for a fact. Not to mention, if he saw Kuroo start to flirt with his soul mate, he would literally have to bust a kneecap or two.

“Wow that look you have right there. That's scary sexy” Kuroo exclaimed, looking him up and down. Akaashis face returned to its unimpressed stare. 

“I have a feeling Bokuto is going to perhaps confess sometime this trip” Akaashi pinched his eyebrows.

“Wow, now that's confidence” Kuroo laughed a hefty laugh.

“There's three options I've been weighing in my head, and all of them include some type of conferment”.

“You just came up with those three scenarios right then and there, did you?”.

“In the last five seconds, yes”.

“You're something else, Akaashi” Kuroo shakes his head.

“I'll take that as compliment”.

“Please do” Kuroo smirked.

“Kuroo have I ever told you how-”.

“How gross am I, yes yes, old news. Come on lets head back”.

And so they started walking again, the cicadas buzzed through the air, and Akaashi played with his hands, deep in thought.

“If he does confess to you, will you tell him you're his soul mate?” Kuroo tilts his head to the side.

They walk side by side in comforting silence as Akaashi ponders over the question.

“I would like to...but i'm still sure that soul mate or not, I wont be allowed to have a relationship” Akaashi sighs.

“Why no-”.

“Hey Akaashi, come on they have watermelons” Konoha yelled to them they as they entered the clearing outside the gymnasium.

“Goodbye, Kuroo” Akaashi gave a polite smile, although weak.

“Hey wait, you owe me an explanation before everybody leaves tomorrow morning”.

“This trip is two nights?” Akaashi asked, disbelieving. Oh sweet jesus.

“It was only one night for half the schools here. The other half are staying two nights and leaving in the morning” Kuroo cocked an eyebrow. “You didn't know?” he asked.

“My mother's going to kill me” Akaashi muttered in despair, just as Konoha approached them.

“Did you not hear me! There's a bunch of melons waiting to be motor boated. Aha not like you'd know anything about that” Konoha threw an arm around Akaashis neck.

Akaashi scowled as the raven swallowed his laughter, face pinched as to hold it back. And then he was being dragged over to the rest of his team mates, wondering how many gay references he would have to endure from his best friend before he kicked him into oblivion.

Ten minutes later, he was eating the watermelon, and found it was too overripe. The sticky juice dripped down his hands and the single slice he contained in his grip looked to red, too mushy, as if the watermelon was sweating itself. It was a shame, he loved fruit.

“What!? you barely eat anything” Bokuto exclaimed from behind him, as Akaashi chucked the melon away.

“Theres watermelon seeds in your hair, Bokuto” he noted, looking up to the nest perched upon Bokutos head.

“Uwah? There is” Bokuto scrunched his face, looking upwards to try see where. He picked at his spikes, missing every time.

“Come sit down, i'll get them out for you” Akaashi smiled gently, grabbing Bokutos wrist to pull him towards the grassy bank. 

Even walking in front of him, he could feel Bokutos brain short circuit as Akaashis slender hand encircled his wrist. Akaashi did happen to have bigger hands than him, with long dexterous fingers, that had been appraised consistently by Bokuto. 

“No wonder you're good at setting. I bet you're good at other things too” Bokuto had said, blinking with pure innocence in the middle of a match. Akaashi had proceeded to flame over the words and missed the right time to block.

The tactic worked impossibly well to distract him from his own team scoring. But he was sure Bokuto had just simply been speaking his mind at the time. How could the literal sunshine have evil intentions what so ever.

Leisurely, he pulled Bokuto down and they sat at the bottom of the rise. Bokuto seated himself between the setters legs and hummed happily as Akaashi sorted his hands through the spikes, cautious not to disassemble the gel.

“There's more here than I expected” Akaashi reports as his hands glide through Bokutos hair, completely devoid of the whole three seeds that had been there before.

“Ah I knew it. Kuroo doesn't just laugh at anything, and he was teaching Lev how to spit them out like a fricken pez dispenser before”. 

Bokuto sulked, leaning back into the setters chest as Akaashis hands played with the soft tufts, pretending there were still stuck seeds.

Akaashi couldn't help the adoration he felt in his chest, heart bumping with affection while he played with the strands. He noted that Bokutos hair was one of his favorite parts about him, and a good way to get away with touching him, being just on the edge of platonic.

Bokuto began to hum happily, a smile forming on his face as he sighed, tension relaxing from his shoulders as Akaashis nails began to trail from his head down to play with the baby hairs at his nape.

“Hey so we're gonna play an afternoon practice match. Just me, Kuroo and a few others with three on three teams”.

“Thats nice” Akaashi nodded, voice low and calming. He could feel the weight of Bokutos head on his own chest as he turned to look up at Akaashi with expectant eyes.

“You'll come right” Bokuto asked, pleadingly.

“I'm sure you have enough people willing to practice with you” Akaashi answered.

“Yea, but they're not you, Akaashi!” he whined. “And we need at least one setter”.

Akaashis hands fell from his hair, in consideration, mulling the thought over in his head.  
“It would be interesting to play on the same team” he noted, more to himself than anyone else.

“Right, we'll be unbeatable!” Bokuto grinned, and Akaashi smiled back. But then suddenly Bokuto was slumping back into Akaashis arms, pout on his face.

“That is if I don't get in one of my...moods. Kuroo has a way or riling me up like that” he sighed.

“Mood?” Akaashi asked in an inquisitive tone.

“Yea, basically i'll just get depressed and not ask for any tosses. Everybody thinks I don't know I do it, but I'm self aware and all...”.

“That seems complicated if we're going to be on a three person team. They'll immediately know who I'm going to toss to” Akaashi frowned, already scrutinizing the play outs that could come.

“You don't have to do it Kaashi” Bokuto mumbled. “It'd just be nice to have to you there is all”.

And oh boy if Akaashis heart wasn't already in his throat, it was now. It shot up in the prospect that he was actually needed by Bokuto. 

He felt greedy again, like he could take what he wanted. It was right there in front of him. He was a natural care taker of course, so it would be instinctive to want to be there for Bokuto. But something lay deep underneath, something that drew out the worse of him. He wanted Bokuto to rely on him, and then what, Akaashi would leave. And when Bokuto needed him, he wouldn't be there. This was going way deeper than volleyball thoughts now.

“How far away is your school from my school again?” Akaashi asked.

Bokutos eyebrows shot into his hairline.  
“Er, 15 minutes I think” he answered, befuddled at the sudden question.

Okay right so a long distance relationship wasn't the worse when it was only 15 minutes. That was nothing. Barely a train ride away. He could even walk. Wait, why was he thinking about this. He was getting too ahead of himself. 

Kuroos question sprung to his mind. 

'If he does confess to you, will you tell him your his soul mate?'

Akaashi didn't have an answer at the time, but it seemed now that he was counterclaiming in his own mind. Would he actually say yes if he asked for them to be more than friends. 

“Akaashi I said you didn't have to do it, why do you look so” Bokuto tapped his chin.  
”Like, geh” he pretended to replicate Akaashis scowl.

Akaashi looked at him with a throughly nonplussed look, but Bokuto didn't back down.

“I'll do it” he rose his chin in defiance. 

Yes he had a competitive side, and sometimes it didn't help when trying to keep the reputation of being a polite second year to his senpais.

“Yahoo” Bokuto threw his arms in the air, turning around and letting his weight fall back into Akaashis stomach, who gave a large “oof”.

~~~

'I'm sorry I didn't know'

'That's fine Keiji. I'll call the coach just to make sure that you are staying the second night'

'Or you know, you could just believe me'.

Akaashi scowled down at his phone. He was leaning against the outside of the gymnasium wall, ready to go inside and play the practice game. But he had forgotten how difficult his mother could be sometimes. Atleast they were just texting, instead of receiving an angry call.

'Its just for safety' she wrote back.

Safety his ass. She just wanted to make sure he wasn't sneaking around behind her back, and he had the mind to if she was going to act like this. Is this where the phrase “rebellious teenager” originated from. It sure fit perfect.

“Akaashi, Akaashi, Akaashiiii” Bokuto droned, sticking his head around the corner. He shut off his phone with a sigh, and turned around to give Bokuto the best smile he could manage.

“I'm coming” he nodded. He followed an eager Bokuto back into the gym, where Hinata and Lev seemed to be practicing a combo with the ginger on the taller boys shoulder to spike.

The first set went by incredibly fast. They had split into teams, Bokuto, Hinata and Akaashi. The second team consisted of Kuroo, Lev and a taller boy with blonde hair? Tsukki, according to Kuroo.

Now they were on their second set, and it looked like they might take that too, without even having to play a third. Incredible.

Akaashi and Bokuto hardly had to co ordinate, it fell into place so natural that Akaashi began to wonder if soul mates had no hindering, but instead an advantage. Because on the court, they truly seemed to connect.

Although Akaashi had told Bokuto his basic hand symbols, and Bokuto had looked hilariously serious as he tried to remember them, it all went out the door. They synced perfectly, tossing and spiking, scoring nearly every time. It was almost unfair to the other team. He didn't even need to signal how he was going to set, where to set, anything. Bokuto just...knew.

Maybe it was super natural...

Of course they gave plenty shots and chances for Hinata. He seemed to be the true kouhai that Bokuto had complained about never having until now. Akaashi watched with admiration as Bokuto grabbed Hinatas head and began to roll it, the two of them staring at each other with star filled eyes. 

“That was amazing, Shouyou!” Bokuto blurted out, ruffling the gingers hair. Hinata gazed back with equal excitement, hands clenching with fervor.

“What, does the ace need more help than expected, hmm?” Kuroo sang from the other side of the net.

“Do shut up Kuroo” Akaashi supplied with a monotone.

“Well you know little ol me, I cant steal all the attention. It's just not fair” Bokuto battered his eyelashes, hands behind his back as he sidled up to the net. He smirked at Kuroo, and Kuroo sneered back, grin equally as wide.

“Somebody's not getting dejected today” Kuroo tilted his head. “I don't usually brag, but my skills aren't too shabby when it comes to mind games. What are you, at the top of your game or something?”.

Bokutos eyes widened at that comment.  
“It must be because of Akaashi, oouah!” he gaped, eyes shooting to Akaashi, who stood, perplexed.

“You're my good luck charm Kaashi!” Bokuto yelped, enthusiastically, ignoring the gagging motions Kuroo performed from the other side of the net.

“I...” Akaashi trailed off, not wanting to say anything to provoke the situation further. His cheeks already felt the reddish hue coming on. He was never like this, losing composure so easily. But if it was anyone to make him this way, he was glad it was Bokuto.

“Well you haven't won the set yet, owl boy” Kuroo cackled, pointing to the markers on the board.

But judging by how they were only 1 point away from set point, things were keyed up for them indeed. As long as Kuroo didn't somehow get to Bokuto, like he had explained earlier. Akaashi could keep that from happening. It was only one round. One point, and then victory.

They returned to their positions, and the round began. Hinata served, but poorly, and it ended up in Levs outstretched arms, immediately bumping it to Tsukishima, who set for Kuroo. 

“Move out the way boys, unless you don't fear for your lives” Kuroo sung, launching himself into the air.

Kuroo was a good spiker, but his skills lay in middle blocking for sure. Hinata managed to pick it up and send it to Akaashi, although a little off kilter. Kuroo muttered before splaying his hands back up, ready to jump.

Akaashi made it work though, and he ran to the ball, fingers outstretched. There was no way in hell he was going to let pain in the ass Kuroo-san have a reason to gloat.

"Bokuto!" Akaashi breathed out, sending the toss as he was already jumping to spike. His form was flawless, and perhaps Kuroo was right about him being at the top of his game, because the ball was slammed so hard, it blew back the ravens fingers. 

The ball fell to the wooden floor with a thump...and then they had won. Akaashis pulse beat hard, a single drop of sweat falling down his temple, iconically.

“Akaashi!!!!” Bokuto yelled, running towards him. 

Akaashi turned to face him, mouth wide open, and he was grabbed by Bokuto, lifted into the air and twirled around as Bokuto still drew out his victorious shouting and Akaashi giggled, drunkenly.

Apart from when he was placed back down to the ground...the steady hands remained on his hips. Bokuto didn't move away. In fact, he was leaning forward and...kissing Akaashi.

Bokutos lips were warm dry, pleasant and they slotted so perfectly together. Akaashi pressed back into the kiss, hoping to convey his affections. His heart thrummed in his chest, a dizzy feeling shook his nerves and rocked his body in a wave of adrenaline filled intoxication.

When Bokuto pulled away, the shocked look on his face was picture perfect to Akaashis own smiling expression. 

“And that concludes practice” Tsukishima deadpanned, stepping away and off the court to go fetch his water bottle, and probably a new attitude. Because Akaashi was on cloud nine right now.

“Y-you” Bokutos words tumbled from his mouth, tongue twisted. His eyes remained wide, eyelashes blinking persistently from surprise. His hands gently pulled away from Akaashis waist, and he wanted to drag them back, feel the warmth they radiated. Maybe get a feel of this lips one more time, or two more times.

“Why don't you take the love show outside while we clean up here” Kuroo pressed on Bokutos lower back, forcing them to stumble a few steps. And so they did, walking out the gym and a little further away, as to speak privately without curious eavesdroppers.

The yellows and oranges of the sky were lavish, blending together like one of Akaashis beautiful paintings. It shone a golden light on them both, an eternal fever of red stained clouds hovering above. 

Akaashi watched as the smoky dull colours lit up against Bokutos eyes, which had turned to look at him again.

“Akaashi you like me back” he stage whispered.

“I like you back” Akaashi answered with a sincere nod.

“But your soul mate” Bokuto exclaimed with horror, looking as if he had only just now realized the possible consequences from kissing him. Akaashi wanted to roll his eyes at it.

“And what about your soul mate” Akaashi asked, lifted an eyebrow as a retort.

Bokutos brain seemed to be working overtime as his face fell neutral, gears turning behind his rich gold eyes.

It did slightly peeve him that Bokuto was choosing someone over Akaashi, who had been writing to him with so much eagerness. But that someone was Akaashi too. So really Bokuto was choosing Akaashi over Akaashi, and he couldn't blame him for that. It was all rather confusing. 

“I-I really like you” Bokuto reached for his hands, holding them in his own, and Akaashi looked down at them with ardor.

“And yea my soul mate is my soul mate, but” Bokuto diwndled off, eyes sliding to the side.  
“Im not good at articulating so well...but you make me really happy” his eyes shot back to Akaashis, expectant.

“You also make me feel good” Akaashi smiled. “Happy” he corrected.

Bokutos exalted grin was anything but short of all of Akaashis dreams. 

“I know we don't go to the same school, but its the same area and we can make it work. We really can!” Bokuto exclaimed, grasping his hands tighter.

“Bokuto it doesn't matter. We'll think about that later” Akaashi squeezed his hands and shook his head, giddily.

“B-but we can talk over phone too and-” Bokuto didn't get the chance to ramble before Akaashi was stopping him with another kiss. He linked his arms around Bokutos neck, and one of Bokutos hands flew to his waist, the other to cup his jaw. It felt like a drug. 

“Holy shit” Bokuto gasped, as soon as they pulled away. “I have to go find Kuroo and tell him” he breathed.

“Bokuto” Akaashi chided. He wanted to tell them that they hadn't even agreed to being an item yet, and there was nothing to go yelling about. They still had to talk. But Bokuto was already running back towards the gymnasium, leaving Akaashi standing in the afternoon glow.

The bliss lasted around 30 seconds before his smile began to falter. Kuroo was walking out the gymnasium and right towards him. Fantastic.

“And here you are to ruin my fun with your sensible reasoning” Akaashi groaned as Kuroo reached him.

“Hey no, I'm happy for you two!” Kuroo scolded, grin on his face.

“Hmm I'm having my doubts” Akaashi eyed him worriedly.

“Just think of me as the angel and devil standing on both sides of your shoulder”.

“Apart from you're the devil and the angel is the devil you in costume” Akaashi stated.

Kuroo gasped, clutching a hand to his chest where his heart would lie.  
“I was going to say I was mostly the angel, but okay whatever”.

“Tomayto, tohmato” Akaashi shrugged.

“So Akaashi, do you know what they say about romance?” Kuroo shifted his weight to one foot and crossed his arms.

“Enlighten me” Akaashi deadpanned.

“You see, you haven't told Bokuto you two are soul mates”.

“Oh my god” Akaashi groaned.

“Don't interrupt me” Kuroo stuck out his tongue, before continuing.  
“If you're reasoning is as thin as just refusing to sit down and have a simple conversation, you might want to rethink how things are going”.

Akaashi twisted his mouth, contemplating his words. It didn't sound...completely stupid. Akaashi was the stone in the river, the one swimming against the tide.

“I mean why do this when you have a much easier path to choose. Albeit this route is more interesting, it's more difficult to root for someone who doesn't pick sensible and available options. And you are that person, eliminating all the effortless paths for yourself”.

“I...understand. Although it's rather a dent in my pride to admit you're right” Akaashi mumbled.

“Just think to yourself. What is the thing that is stopping you two from being together without any hold ups, any secrets and lies”.

My mother. My restricting life. The fear I wont be accepted by my parents as well as society. The dark impending fear that he might not be able to be there for Bokuto when he needed Akaashi.

He wouldn't say those out loud though.

“And the things blocking you, how can you get around them?” Kuroo raised his eyebrows.

And okay...yes that was something to think over. Every problem had a solution...Akaashi just needed to find it.

“I have reasoning not to tell him, although if I told you, they would not be very clear” Akaashi says the words slowly.

“I know you do” Kuroo nodded, understandingly.

“But I will tell him, and before it gets out of hand too”.

“You said that yesterday, and now look what happened” Kuroo chuckled.

Akaashi smiled. At least the development had been good.

“I think the worst thing that can happen now is that when I tell Bokuto, he'll be angry that I kept it from him” Akaashi sighs.

“The earlier you catch it, the less the consequences will come with. He won't be angry for too long. In fact if you went and told him right nowwww” Kuroo grinned, gesturing to the gym, where surely Bokuto was telling everyone in a 5 span radius about how overjoyed he was.

Akaashi only shook his head.  
“I have some things to do beforehand”.

And so he set his plan into action.  
But this time, hopefully he could follow through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAH, okay literally I swear from now on Akaashi isn't going to be all like "Ohno we cant be together cause of my problems". 
> 
> Im getting that boy to finally rethink and get around the situation, I SwEaR.
> 
> But anyways lol, sorry if theres typos, I wrote this in the earliest of mornings again ;0 cause i'm so good at destroying my health to write random chapters when I know I have to pack tomorrow.
> 
> Anways, hope you enjoyed heh :)


	8. Not Given Lightly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akaashi finds that Bokuto takes the information a little easier than expected. But of course he's not telling the full tale. Its shows when Bokuto falls into a dire situation where he doesn't know what to think anymore.

The night was a deep intoxication of blackness. The kind that only wanted to hold him back, keep him safe with the stationary stars in the sky. The black tropical that clenched his shoulders and forced him back within his own steadfast thoughts.

He always had the skill for over thinking.

Never had Akaashi ever sat there while feeling so persistently like he had truly done something wrong. Yet when the dust came to settle, he could find neither the inconstancy nor inconsistency in his behavior or personal morality, the fabric still flexible.

His integrity wouldn't be so easily testified. Not against the changeability of sticking to his predetermined course. He had to do something about the situation.

Therefore when he decided on his simple plan, a transition occurred, and his overwhelming blamelessness engulfed him entirely with its inescapable pertinence, not going anywhere anytime soon.

But here was the concern. Even with his deep cognation on the thought, the idea that his mother would ruin it all was an applicability he couldn't ignore.

He was sure his dad would be fine, but his mother was ornate when it came to the gilt-edges pages of the book. She was stringent and oppressive. He was an only child, sought out to carry the weight on his shoulders of being someone worthy.

He had the the conscious mentality that he couldn't put Bokuto through that. The way his soul mate talked about his own parents, his own family.

It was nothing short of tender benevolence. His mother sounded kind and warm, his dad a reliable figure, and his own siblings, the two staples in his life that pushed him up and encouraged him. Bokutos family was the foundation of which he stood on. It was how he could stand up in the first place.

And god if that didn't make Akaashi admire him more.

You see how if he tried to explain these thoughts running rampant in his head, he might be claimed as crazy, or at least a rather rigorous english literature professor. But that's the approach he had always had when it came to sorting out problems.

Thus, Akaashi sat outside, leaning against the same brick wall he had one night previous, trying to soften the ceaseless words for Bokuto.

He had tried to start slow and easy.

“Wait so you're saying your mother will smash my door down with a hatchet if you tell her we're dating” Bokuto scrunched his face, trying to understand.

“More or less” Akaashi bit his lip. “But I do wonder how you got that from me telling you she would be heavy hearted if our relationship were to develop”.

“Because you're not making sense, Akaashi” Bokuto groaned, shifting his legs up to hold them, a melancholy expression painted across his face.

“What i'm saying is that if we were to date-”.

“We aren't already dating?” Bokutos head shot up.

“You haven't asked me yet and neither have I” Akaashi stated, softly.

“Agh Akaashi, all this makes me feel like I'm going to be worst boyfriend in the world. That is if I'm not murdered beforehand” he carded his hands through his hair.

“Is she at least small. I was really good at disc tossing back in the day. Maybe my approach is to just go in head first and throw her across a field, then make a run for it”.

Akaashi stared at him for approximately 2 seconds before bursting into laughter, light and bubbly.

“Please do not throw my mother like a sack of potatoes, Bokuto” Akaashi chuckled.

“Uhm, it's called self defense” Bokuto argued.

“No, she's a software development manager, very tall, and she used to wash my mouth out with soap whenever I would swear” Akaashi sniffed away the last of his laughter.

“Huh” Bokuto scratched his head. “I don't think I have ever heard you swear”.

Akaashi levels him with the most disinterested stare.  
“Fuck” he deadpans.

“Wow talk dirty to me” Bokutos mouth curls into a mocking grin.

“I swear all the time. You’ll usually hear me singing curses under my breath whenever we do diving drills. But back to the previous topic”.

“What, no” Bokuto disputes. “I wanna hear more child Akaashi stories”.

“I have a whole entire photo album of baby pictures at home. I’ll show you if you're good” he rolls his eyes.

Bokuto purses his lips.  
“Uhm i'm trying to keep my heart in my chest. Won't your parents be there with knives”.

“You're making them out to be more violent than they really are” Akaashi frowns.

“Hey, hey Akaashi you should come to mine, yea? My family would adore you. My dad said he always wanted a son with more than two brain cells”.

“Isn't that insulting” Akaashi raises an eyebrow.

“Nah, it usually follows up by me and all my siblings tackling him until he admits he was joking”.

“And he was joking?”.

“Well yeah of course he was?” Bokuto blinks.

“Maybe I will come” Akaashi smiles gingerly. 

He wonders when family talk became such a sore topic for him. Maybe it always has been. He at least thought he could talk about his dad with some compassion. But he never felt the need to commend him for doing a good job. His dad was always away, not leaving much time for him to actually be a parent. 

But Keiji wouldn't tell Bokuto this. He had a feeling it would only make him sad, or pitying. And he had another pitiful gazes to fill up a lifetime. 

“So if you've finished dragging me out here to warn me about your-”.

“Not psychotic parents. Just strict” Akaashi piped in.

“Strict parents. Then can we go inside, I'm freezing” Bokuto wailed, toeing at the ground, shuffling his knees even closer to his chest. “Or atleast come over here” Bokuto reached out his arms with grabby motions to Akaashi who was sitting across from him. 

Akaashi huffed a complaint as he shuffled over, but the small smile on his lips betrayed him as he settled into Bokutos side, throwing a leg over the formers leg. When Bokuto pouted even more, he entwined their fingers, and Bokuto gave a sound of triumph as he snuggled closer to Keiji. 

Akaashis heart beat louder and the warmth fizzled through his body in pulses of electric waves. He liked this.

“I'm only trying to voice my concerns, Bokuto. My parents maintain a routine for me, and it’ll be hard to break. Hard to get away from my house to come see you”.

“And I can’t come over to your house or they'll eat my heart”.

“How do you keep coming up with these situations” Akaashi snorts.

“Fear is an endless outlet” Bokuto points out, nudging his side.

“Mm. But are you okay with that? I’ll just have to introduce you maybe as my friend at first if you want to come over. And it’ll take a while to gain my mothers trust”.

“I’m great with mothers. They love me” Bokuto grins, proudly.

“Even so, maybe just up your personal resume a bit. Tell them you help little old ladies cross the street” Akaashi jokes.

“I do that anyway! They always tell me how much of a young handsome man I am. And they even squeeze my bicep or try to cop a feel”.

“And you're proud of that?” Akaashi laughs.

“If you've got it, flaunt it” Bokuto tilts his head with a coy smile.

“Don't be crude when i’m introducing you though. I might like your joking cuteness, but it'll be hard to persuade my parents. I’ll have to take the brunt of it all. They’ll ask a million questions, just like they did with Konoha”.

“You think I'm cute?” Bokuto gasps, shockingly.

“You have selective hearing” Akaashi tuts.

“And you have a way of directing the conversation elsewhere. We’re trying to discuss serious topics here Akaashi!” Bokuto quarrels.

“Holy shit that's you. You're explaining you!” Akaashi points out, face scrunching.

“Ha! I got you to swear again” Bokuto chortles, squeezing their hands together.

Akaashi blinks as he realizes it was just a ploy, and he feels embarrassment wash over him. He toes Bokutos leg with a sharp harmless kick as his cheeks tint pink.

“It's nice to see you like this” Bokuto smiles gently at him.

“Like what” Akaashis heart clenched and warmth spread under his skin.

“You're smiling!” Bokuto points out.

Akaashi wipes the small smile from his lips in an instant.

“You've lost hand holding privileges” he breaks his fingers away from Bokutos.

“Nooo!” he whines as Akaashi bats away his emploring hands, looking to rekindle the contact. Akaashi pushes himself away so he’s sitting back in front of Bokuto. But not too far away. The punishment kind of extended to himself as well.

“I smile” Akaashi argues.

“Yea! But usually you’re so calm and collected. Your face is always so indifferent. I saw Konoha choke on 10 thin mints and spray it into Tsukishima face, and you didn't even crack a smile”.

“Because I've experienced that first hand before. Hard to laugh when you have PTSD about biscuit crumbs hanging to your eyelashes. I was merely empathizing” Akaashi states. 

“Okay but just now you were smiling!” he points out excitedly.

Akaashi examined him for a long second before letting out a soft sigh.  
“That's only because...of you”.

Bokuto’s eyes flew impossibly wider and he slapped both of his hands over his face, hiding the bright red flush from view.

“I really do like you, Bokuto. You're adorable, but also sexy, and your fun to be around, so easy to talk to. You make me feel nice” Akaashi continued.

“...Damn it” Bokuto huffed out. 

For a moment neither of them talked.

“Bokuto you better start looking more thankful for my efforts or i'm going to throw a fit. I don't say this for many people” Akaashi joked. He scooted closer, so his legs were touching Bokutos, trying to peer at his expression.

“So unfair” Bokutos hands slide from his face and his eyes fall down to Akaashis lips. Bokutos eyes light up with a fire, a sort of eagerness buried deep beneath. “Hey Akaashi...” he trailed off.

Akaashis eyes match up with his, and they widen with realization. Bokuto looks at him in silent question. He considers the situation for approximately 0.30 seconds before he's breathing out the word light and airy. “Yes”.

Bokuto thrusts his hands into Akaashis hair, dragging it up and away from his face. He knots his fingers at the back of his head and presses his mouth firmly against Akaashis. 

Akaashis hands yanked up from their sides and immediately ball up Bokutos shirt in his fist. He straightens in shock, eyes wide as Bokuto maintained eye contact as he licked his tongue over Akaashis bottom lip, leaning close.

Oh and this was something he was going to miss. And really if you think about it, there was no time to lose.

Akaashis arms lifted up and wrapped around Bokutos neck, drawing him closer. Bokutos eyes opened and he stared in surprise at the return of the kiss. Akaashi met his gaze for a short second before closing his eyes and sliding his tongue against his, pulling him tighter to his chest.

Bokuto loosened his hold on Akaashis hair and slowly trailed his hands down his back to his waist.

“You're so cute” Bokuto mummers breathlessly. “So cute, so cute”.

And then Bokuto is effortlessly pulling him into his lap, a different type of victory for the second time that day as Akaashi swings his legs, settling them either side of Bokutos thighs and straddling his hips. 

And wow he was so warm, hard and broad. Akaashis heart thudded, impatient. More.

They kissed frantically, pulling at and rubbing against one another until they were both gasping for air.

Then Bokuto is cheekily traveling his mouth down his neck and collarbone, hands spreading against the warmth of his chest and his sides. 

And his touch was so hot and firm.

Akaashis grip on Bokutos shoulders tighten and he shivers, sucking in a deep shuddering breath. Bokutos teeth graze against his clavicle and presses a barrage of hot kisses. It raises the hairs at the back of Akaashis neck.

“Bokuto” he breathes out, pulling his face back up to press a kiss against his mouth. Bokuto returns it just as passionate, leaning up to catch his mouth again.

Akaashi’s vision went blurry and he blinked rapidly, muscles coiling and tightening with every touch of Bokuto’s lips.

Hm.

Suddenly he feels the chill of the breeze creep along his back, the feeling of small stones digging into his legs where he's perches on Bokutos lap. 

He pulls away, lips red and slightly swollen, and his eyes dart around the place.  
Yes its empty of people, but it's also impossibly late, rather cold, and not so comfortable.

“Hey you okay? Y’know Kuroo isn't going to interrupt this time” Bokuto teases. His hair looks throughly mused.

“I wouldn't leave that up to fate” Akaashi turns back to look at him.

“But this isn't exactly...” he trails off. Then he’s pushing himself out of Bokutos lap, the warmth regressing back to a cold snake of air along his body.

“You haven't done anything like this before have you” Bokuto inquires.

“I...No” Akaashi speaks hesitantly. “But I do want to” he catches Bokutos eyes. “With you”.

“Just not here, I get it” Bokutos eyes follow the dark sky and the quiet landscape and shivers when the cold finally reaches his limbs.

“That's okay isn't it?” Akaashi asks, reluctantly.

Bokutos eyes flit back to him.  
“Of course it is! We have tons of time ahead of us. Come on, let's go back” Bokuto grins, standing up. He offers a lending hand to Akaashi, who takes it with a grateful smile.

“Right, tons of time” Akaashi nods.

~~~

It’s bright and early when the remaining teams awake. The mountains are silhouettes against a breezy sky and the air smells fresh and rewarding as they step out towards the buses. There is something about the morning that makes each new day feel like Bokuto could conquer something, unwrapping the world anew. 

Soon the sun would be high, bright and hot. But at this time the days air was cool and damp. Bokuto felt refreshed and recharged...until he had realized that everything was coming to an end. Akaashi was leaving.

He watched from the sidelines as Akaashis team packed their bags onto the bus, waiting for the acceptable time to go and say goodbye.

Of course the goodbye wouldn't last forever. He would see Akaashi again. But it felt like their little fantasy of a perfect weekend, training and building up the relationship between them was now abruptly over. Akaashi had said it would be hard to see each other.

Bokuto could only try feel for him, as he had no idea what Akaashi was going through. His family had always been supporting to the day he told them he was trying out volleyball, the time he came home and announced that he had just seen a cute boy, and they encouraged his dream of rising to the top, doing the best he could.

Akaashi told him that he needed to clear his own path first before they could be together. And so no they weren't dating. They were not in a relationship of any sort. They were nothing right now, condoned by the fact that Bokuto found it hard to say they were all only friends and lie to people when really they were together.

Akaashi response was grueling as well as fair when saying they wouldn't be in a relationship until the time was right, since Bokuto couldn't deal with lying and Akaashi couldn't deal with not keeping it a secret due to his family matters.

“Hey, Bokuto!”.

He reluctantly pulled his gaze away from Akaashis form to see Kuroo walking towards him, waving chocolate in his hand.

“To your new found relationship!” Kuroo grinned, handing over the candy.

“Thanks” Bokuto grinned, grabbing the chocolate and biting into it with fervency.

“But we aren't together” he says around the chewing.

“What” Kuroo blanched. “SPIT THAT CHOCOLATE OUT RIGHT THIS SECOND!” He held out his palm, expectantly.

“It’s too early for this” Bokuto swallows the rest of the candy, dismally.

“You wake up at like 5am. Don’t dodge the subject” Kuroo snorted.

“It’ll always be too early for this” Bokuto groans louder.

“Why are you two so stupid. Did you not ask him to be your boyfriend. Or maybe he said no” Kuroo sighs, leaning back against the wall.

“Hey, no one can ever say no to me” Bokuto sticks out his tongue at him. 

“You're a nuisance. A useless gay” Kuroo retorted, waving a candy bar at him.

“Hey!” Bokuto pouted.

“You do injustice to the gay community. Fill both our homosexual dreams Bokuto! For US” Kuroo slapped his hands together in a prayer sign.

“We’re not together because we're waiting until he can deal with it being public”.

“Are you a secret boy toy?” Kuroo propped a hand on his hip, eyebrow cocking as he bit into the candy bar.

“I will kill you” Bokuto scowls at him.

“I will gladly welcome deaths warm embrace” Kuroo opened his arms up wide.

When Bokuto frowned harder at him Kuroo chuckled, giving in.  
“Okay yea I get it, it's actually not too bad of an idea. Besides, it's not like you have to worry. Akaashis like a pretty flower and you're the fat ass bee tryna get some of that sweet nectar-”.

“Wha-”.

“But like only you know how to get the nectar. And so the Akaashi flower only lets you in and he's all angry at the other bees, or well not angry but he doesn't care cause your bumble bee ass is so thicc he can't ignore you”.

“How much sleep did you get last night” Bokuto tried to stifle a smile.

“Blue” Kuroo answers immediately,

“Kuroo?” Bokuto cocks an eyebrow.

“Shit, wait what was the question again” Kuroo rubs his eyes, looking up to where the sun is starting to rise in the sky. Dark circles hang ebony under his eyes

At that moment Akaashi decided to walk up to them.

“Does Kuroo have pink eye” he asks, watching the raven haired ball his fists against his eyelids.

Bokuto laughs as Kuroo scowls at them both, as if he were hungover.  
“Life feels like someone shooting 100 tennis balls at me, and I only have one racket”.

Bokuto and Akaashi stared at him.

“Oh, and im in a wheelchair” Kuroo adds for good measure.

“Right, ignoring the mental gay crisis” Bokuto starts, turning away from his friend.

“Just a normal crisis” Kuroo pipes in weakly.

“I saw you trying to write to your soulmate again last night. Don't disagree with me” Bokuto squints, and Kuroo slides down the wall, partially, looking as if the life had been drained out of him.

Akaashi gives him a sympathetic look before his eyes are flashing back to Bokuto.  
“I’m leaving now” he reminds.

“Ah, shit” Bokuto wilts. “Don't tell me that! Just vanish into the sun on a unicorn so I never have to say goodbye” he wails.

“So you don't want a hug?” Akaashi asks, angling his body as if he were to turn away and walk back.

And no, nope. His not-boyfriend wasn't going anywhere without Bokuto tackling him into the ground and maybe crying for a good hour, just because yknow, it was sad. Bokuto was sad.

“Aghhh” Bokuto stepped forward and threw his arms around Akaashi into a warm embrace. He could feel the younger tense in his hold, but soon he’s relaxing into Bokutos arms, and Bokuto grins into Akaashis shoulders. It was so cool how he had this drugging calm effect on him. Like a secret switch.

Not that he was something to brag about. But it totally was.

“Bokuto” Akaashi mumbled, sliding his arms around Bokuto, tight. And he fit just right, slotting into Bokutos hug like he was made for it. He could stay like this for hours, feeling as his and Akaashis heartbeat matched, soothing each others worries, until nothing mattered.

“Bokuto” Akaashi said again, this time more serious. More reprimanding. 

“Can't hear you” Bokuto muttered.

“If you like owls, then you'll know they have extraordinary hearing” Akaashi claims.

And wait, what?

Bokuto pulls away from.  
“How did you know I like owls?”.

He sees Akaashis mouth pinch into a firm line, brain spacing into a seemingly blank state.

“I told him. Not that I had to. You basically spout about it 24/7” Kuroo answers and Bokutos eyes shoot down to where his friend is sitting on the ground.

Bokuto didn't talk about it that much! Did he? No something isn't matching up. He sees Kuroo cock and eyebrow at him when Bokuto squints, searching his mind.

“Yo, Yaku” Kuroo yells out to the boy passing by on the way to the bus.

“That’s Yaku-san to you, idiot” Yaku props his hands on his hips as he stops.

“What’s Bokutos favorite animal?” Kuroo ignores him.

“What do you mean? An owl?” Yaku says it like its obvious.

Kuroo turns back to look at a suspicious Bokuto with raised eyebrows.

Okay yea maybe he did take it a little far. But owl socks were so cute and the charms they sold in stores were too hard to ignore!

“Okay, okay” Bokuto scratches the back of his neck and laughs.

The sound of a whistle rings through the air, signaling for everyone to crowd back to the bus so they could get on their way. Not that they had a long way to go. Akaashi is only 15-20 minutes away. He has to remind himself that. And hopefully Bokuto could see him again soon.

“You have my number” Akaashi nods.

“I’ll make sure to text you every day” Bokuto grins, rocking on his heels excitedly.

“Dont abuse it” Akaashi chides with a small smile.

“I’ll miss you, Kaashi!” Bokuto calls out as he walks away and to the bus. Akaashi twists his head and gives a wave before blending in with the rest of his team and boarding the bus.

Once Akaashi is out of sight, Bokutos shoulders heave. As well as it had been an awesome weekend, the soreness was now catching up with him, clinging to his muscles and pulling him down. He’d love to go home and sleep for days.

“Me too, buddy” Kuroo sighs as Bokuto slumps down onto the ground by the ravens side.

“My ass hurts” Bokuto grumbles.

“Not me too, buddy” Kuroo chokes back laughter.

“Like it’s literally vibrating” Bokuto adds.

And then Kuroo is cackling. Bokuto grins, letting his limbs go languid and his head falls back on the wall to look up at the sky, watching and waiting as the sun climbs higher and higher into the arctic blue.

When he arrives home later that day his legs feel like lead and he toes off his shoes in the doorway.

“I’m home” he calls out to the house. But the voice bounces off walls and right back to him, signaling an empty house. Oh right, his family wouldn't be home for another hour.

“Hohoho” Bokuto muses, dropping his bag in the living room as he considers all the possibilities he had while alone. Perhaps he could fall asleep in the bath. He always got yelled at for that.

Instead he reached for the remote. It was a habit to flip on the TV for background noise, and he always felt calm, even if it was just the boring news. And so he flipped it to the news.

He sighed as the talking blended into the surroundings and he gripped the sides of his jacket, pulling it down over his arms, when suddenly his ears caught something interesting.

His eyes drifted back to the tv where two news reporters were sitting. A man and woman in formal suits, papers clenched in front of their hands, and in the corner screen was an image of an arm scribbled over with black pen.

He seized the remote once again, turning up the volume.

“That was a very dire situation indeed. Our respects go out to the family. It really is horrible how these things develop” the woman smiles, grevingly as she tucks a brown strand of hair behind ear.

“We are cautioning everyone, especially parents to watch out for their children at this time. With this new method, around 10 people have been kidnapped already”.

Bokuto blinked a few times, unable to pull his gaze away as he slowly lowered himself to the couch, perching on the edge.

“The method is that the soulmate will cross out their conversations with pen, absolutely anything said. And then their significant other will become worried, and or desperate as to find out what happened, what went wrong and why they might be ignoring them. When they finally get a response, the soul mate will tell give them excuses, apologize and ask to meet up” the man tutted.

“And that is when everything goes south” the woman pipes in.

“Under these circumstances, do not meet up with your soul mate if this happens. We've been told to tell you to report it to the police if this does happen to you”.

Bokutos hands curled over the edge of the couch, knuckles white. His teeth clenched together, eyes drifting down to his arm where a few words sat from previous conversation with his soul mate”.

His mind flashed back to the stains of black on his skin. How desperate he had felt. Everything crossed out. 

His gut churned, and fear crawled over the surface of his skin.

“These operations can go on for months. It’s all games to them and they will do anything to lure in their victims” the woman stated from the tv, shuffling her papers, and the image in the corner flashes through a few pictures of besmirched skin, either crossed out or scrawled over harshly.

Bokutos heart clenched and his heart fell into his stomach. An overwhelming feeling of dread washed over him like a tidal wave. It couldn't be.

“Again, we urge you to look out for your friends and relatives, and mostly yourself. In this civilization, us as a society need to..” the words faded away into nothing as he tuned out.

Static ran rampant through his brain, the blaring sound rang through his ears and blocked out his surroundings. He blinked once, twice, tried to move, to stand up, but he stayed there frozen, unmoving.

This isn't happening to him. It had been different. This was different. He wasn't a victim.

He wasn't a victim.

Or... had they only wanted him to think that...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha okay so I got back from holiday tonight and it was still early so I decided to chuck out a chapter. Yet I don't feel satisfied with it -_- but hey at least I wrote, and the plot goes on~
> 
> Honestly I kind of wondered how this story became mainly an Akaashi view. But I technically did make him the one with all the problems and background story, so that was my fault lololol.
> 
> Anyways, thankyou for reading heh  
> (●´ω｀●)


	9. Impressionable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo and Kenma are so different, but they could learn to be right. After all, Kuroo is a hopeless romantic and Kenma cant seem to stay away.

Afternoon was one of Kuroos favorite times. The shadows were now twice as long as themselves, the air hang hot fading to cool fast, and smelt faintly of cars exhaust fumes. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the landscapes in soft pinks and yellows, falling into golden hour. 

Kuroo walked along the street as he headed home from the convenience store, a popsicle pinched between his fingers, the sweet stickiness overrunning the stick and dripping onto his tan skin. 

He took a bite, tired but content with listening to the sounds of nature settling in as he passed through the suburban area. He listened at the small chirp of a cricket, the rushing of wind rushing through branches and leaves, causing the trees to sway and the passing of an occasional car.

In fact, this could be even considered a normal day for him. Finishing practice and immediately heading to the nearest corner store to fill himself with unnecessary junk food before he got home, avoiding being berated by his mother for eating before dinner. But the melon pan he had just brought sat so good in his stomach.

Today wasn't going to be normal, was it. He could say that at least as he spotted a boy up ahead, blonde roots faded from black charcoal, long eyelashes batting against the golden light as he stood in front of the coffee shop Kuroo usually worked at.

He stopped in his tracks, popsicle half in his mouth as he looked on. Kenma was just standing there, hands in his pockets and eyes clearly unfocused as he stared just above the shops entrance.

Kuroo looked around. Bokuto wasn't there to harass him. He could easily slip by, overlooking the fact that he had supposedly agreed to ask him out. Besides, wasn't the promise that the next time Kenma came i n t o the shop was the time he'd own up to his side of the deal.

And neither of them were any where near inside the premises of the building, so really he could just-

Suddenly Kenmas head swiveled to the side, making direct eye contact with Kuroo. Well shit.  
Kuroo pulled the ice block from his mouth and smiled weakly as he made his way over.

“Looking for someone? I'm almost certain that i'm not working here today, so there must be some other reason” Kuroo grinned, coming to a stop by the boy, who looked phlegmatic and throughly unmoved by his teasing.

“How do you know I wasn't looking to see if you were in there so I could avoid you?” Kenma cocked an eyebrow, face still stern.

“Oh” Kuroo sucked on his popsicle as he looked over to the coffee shop, which looked close to closing up for the day.

“Ouch. Guess i'll try not to take that to heart” Kuroo shrugged, and made a move to proceed past Kenma and start on his way home, but he was stopped.

“Where...uh... where were you?” Kenma asked, shyly. He suddenly looked diffident and totally at loss with his usual apathetic expression.

Kuroo stopped, leant back on his heels and popped the ice block from his mouth.  
“Why does it matter?” he asked.

“It wasn't half as fun ordering when there wasn't a flustered employee tripping over himself to do his job” Kenma gave a half snort.

“I don't know wether to be taking that as a compliment or if you're just saying i'm bad at what I do” Kuroo grinned, finishing the last bite of his popsicle.

“Well” Kenma tilted his head upwards, and his hair fell back, revealing more of his face, round cheeks and long eyelashes, soft as silk and light as a feather, but still thick, framing his almond eyes. “Where were you?” he asked again.

“Got a few days off for volleyball training” Kuroo shrugged, sucking the remainders of juice from his fingertips, and he walked the two steps to the trash can, depositing the stick. Kenmas eyes followed him.

“Why, miss me?” Kuroo huffed a laugh.

“How is your friend with the soul mate problem?” Kenma asked, shuffling his weight to the other foot.

“Hmm?” Kuroo hummed. “Oh, he's doing fine and all. He decided that it doesn't matter if he has a soul mate or not, because he's found something he really likes. There's more to it but” Kuroo hesitated. “It's complicated”.

“Do you think soul mates are real?” Kenma asked, expression neutral, not curious at all. Kuroo wondered why he even asked at all. Why were they standing here having this conversation.

He looked down at his hands, his arms, eyes following the places he had wrote countless words.  
But for what.

“I'm pretty sure I have no soul mate, so hard to believe in what you don't have” Kuroo sighed.

“They passed away?” Kenma asked, eyebrows scrunching slightly.

Kuroos mouth twisted around as he sought out an answer.

“I'm not particularly sure...but it doesn't mean everything is lost. I'm undoubtedly a hopeless romantic, and perhaps there could be something one day. But for now i'm just content with playing volleyball and getting up my grades” he laughed weakly.

“So you have a phobia of never being as important to other people as they are to you. You're scared to fall in love” Kenma stated.

Kuroo blinked in bewilderment before it quickly morphed to anger. His eyebrows drew together, and his mouth fell open, looking for words. But where was the fault. It was all truth. He didn't like it at all. 

The sun held at the edges of the sky, threatening to fall from the red and into darkness.

“I don't want to be something someone settles for. How could I fall in love when I know there's someone else waiting out there for them, perfect in every way?” Kuroo muttered, scowling at the sidewalk.

“You choose not to care” Kenma spoke softly.

The trees that lined the street stood as black statues, silhouetted against the darkening sky, slowly their shadows melted away and merged into the blackness of night.

“I don't believe that there is a perfect person for everyone. I think that having a soul mate is propaganda and that nothing so perfect exists. It's bizarre to even think that way. People are so desperate to find the perfect one that they're glad the universe has it all lined out for them” Kenma frowned.

“It's pathetic” Kenma spat out the words.

“Wow that's a little condescending, don't you think” Kuroo snapped.

“I know how I sound. I tend to try keep my opinions to myself” Kenma muttered, tilting his head. Hair fell down to cover the edges of his eyes as he tried to hide away, tried to refrain himself from bursting out. The dark night air hung over them, tense and foreshadowing.

Kuroo looked on with anger. It wasn't if he was wrong, and even so, people were still entitled to their own opinion. But just the way he had said it, it sounded as if he thought it was disgusting. That people who wanted to be with the one that would make them the happiest, was disgusting.

“You try keep your opinions to yourself? Then how come you're lecturing a random stranger on the street, huh?” he asked, gesturing to himself with a flick of the wrist.

“You're...you're not just some random stranger” Kenma mumbled. The street lights illuminated his face. He looked distraught and concerned beneath his strands of hair.

“Yea you sure do seem to know me. Do you always stand out here and wait to see if i'm working. You're asking where I've been as if we were friends. Is that what's happening. You're trying to get something from me?” Kuroo seethed. 

He couldn't help it. The words just flew from his mouth. 

“Stop” Kenmas voice came out broken, and his posture slumped. “Kuroo, you're hurting me”.

Kuroo stopped in his anger and he unfurled his brows, leant back on his feet and sighed, although his teeth still kept clenched. He grinded them as well as clenching and unclenching his fist.

“I don't disagree with you. Soul mates...they're not everything. There's so many things in this world that matter. But they all matter just as much as writing dumbly on your wrist or your leg or anywhere. It gives hope” Kuroo muttered.

“So you agree with me?” Kenma tilted his head back up, looking more certain. 

“Unconventionally. I believe you can be with whoever you want, soul mate or not. But i'm just saying, if there is the supposed perfect person for you out there, wouldn't you want to at least give it a shot” Kuroo sighed, carding a hand through his hair.

He watched as Kenma shuffled on the spot, gaze glancing up to meet Kuroos, reluctantly.  
“Your soulmate...” he started, biting his lip.

Kuroos gaze softened. Maybe all this was Kenmas way of trying to reassure him that soul mates weren't everything and that even if Kuroo didn't have a soul mate it would be okay. Although admittedly, it was a very weird way of going about it.

“It's fine” Kuroo shook his head. “Look” he began, patting his pockets.

Kenma watched, curious to as what he was looking for. When Kuroo pulled out a pen, his eyes widened.

“Kuroo-” he gasped, reaching out a hand, but it was too late. Kuroo had drawn a long stripe of pen down his arm with ease.

He looked up at Kenma who looked panicked and small underneath his baggy hoodie.

“What? See I can do whatever I want” Kuroo shrugged, and he drew another line down the other arm. He could see how anxious Kenma was.

“I see, just stop” Kenma pleaded.

Kuroo narrowed his eyes. Was he not getting it. Kuroo was fine! Absolutely fine! Why did his face look so concerned, as if Kuroo hadn't had enough pity and thrown out condolences.

“Kenma, it doesn't matter really. Just look” Kuroo brought the pen up to his face and swiped it against his cheek. 

“Its literally-” he paused.

Oh.

And his heart dropped, because he watched as Kenmas eyes widened, hands scrambling to find purchase on his cheek...where a curve of ink lay against his cheekbone, prominent and blue.

Kuroo stared for another few seconds before he dropped the pen to the ground, hearing the small clatter. But all he could register was the sound of his own shaky breathing, his hands beginning to tremble.

He took a wobbly step back, his mind whirring in the dizziness as Kenma slowly pulled away his hands from his cheek and looked into Kuroos eyes.

“Y-you knew” Kuroo pointed at him, accusingly.

Kenmas mouth dropped open.  
“Kuroo I didn't-”.

“You knew all this time!” Kuroo choked out, hands dropping feebly to his side.

Kenma seemed to give a heavy sigh before he was standing up straight.  
“I think that once you began to think you had no soul mate, you decided it was okay to write whatever you wanted on yourself” he mumbled, eyes sliding to the ground.

“Reminders, what classes you needed to bring homework for, random numbers or times that I didn't understand. It wasn't...it wasn't hard to figure out who you were”.

Kuroo couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it.  
He was so...so relieved! But so...angry...and sad. And oh god he was so sad. Because his soul mate was Kenma. And Kenma had been so actively avoiding him.

“Why” he breathed out, quiet.

Kenma seemed to hesitate, eyes darting to Kuroos face and away a few times.

“My parents aren't soul mates and they're happy. It was the way I was raised. I just wanted to figure out if my own soul mate cared about that stuff. I thought maybe they would hate my mindset. Some people...their only views are that their soul mates are the only one for them. What if I wanted to date other people beforehand” Kenma talked on. 

“What if I wanted to...I just. I didn't want to be constricted. I wanted to at least have some time before I found out who they were. Because then- then I would be trapped”.

“I thought you were dead” Kuroo spat out. His hands hadn't stopped shaking, and he was biting his lip to hold back the tears he was for sure not going to cry out.

Kenma had the decency to look guilty, sorrow showing on his face.  
“I'm sorry” he mumbled.

“And so you've just been watching me from afar then” Kuroo shook his head, disbelievingly.  
“I'm really not a stranger to you”.

“No” Kenma admitted.

“But once I found out it was you it...was hard to stay away. Trust me, I would of stayed away if I could of. Maybe”. He seemed to contradict his words as he took a step closer to Kuroo.

“How long were you going to wait until you told me. Were you going to tell me at all” Kuroo asked, sadly.

“I was” Kenma tucked a strand behind his ear. “As I said... I couldn't seem to stay away”. Suddenly his eyes flashed up to Kuroos in confidence.

“But i'm not saying that I want to be with you just because you're my soul mate! I can't help how my body reacts” Kenma stated.

Kuroo sighed.  
“Of course not, I wouldn't want to be with you just because your my soulmate either. I would want to know you first of course”.

Kenma bit his lip as he held back a smile. He looked rather relieved.

“I really am sorry” he apologized again.

Kuroo gave a weak smile.  
“Its fine. Everything is fine” he said to himself, more than Kenma standing in front of him.

“But well now that all this has happened...do you want to give it a shot?” Kenma asked, reusing Kuroos previous words.

“I don't know” Kuroo argued, hesitantly.

“We can take it slow” Kenma said softly.

“I thought you didn't want to be restricted. Am I not the snake in your basket. The rope around your neck, the something holding you back?” Kuroo asked, grasping at random words. He was so tired.

Kenma seemed to ponder this for a moment, before he was shaking his head.  
“It's been messy up to this moment, but this is the one thing thats clear to me. I just want a chance to fix it”.

“Only because you've hurt me” Kuroo counters.

Kenma seemed to coil in on himself.  
“I know” he grumbled. “I messed up”.

There was a moment of silence.

“You were right before y'know. I have slight trust issues” Kuroo scratched the back of his head.  
“But if we can start off as friends...I feel like that'd be a lot better” he suggested.

Kenma licked over his dry lips.  
“...Y-yea okay” he sighed with a smile, eyes flickering back to Kuroo.

“But for now” Kuroo looked around. It was completely dark by now, the only light sourced from the street lamps illuminating their faces. He was going to be late home and get the ass beating of his life.

“For now why don't we just exchange numbers and head home. And don't blame me if I don't text back in the morning. My parents might of killed me” Kuroo clicked open his phone to look at the time before handing it to Kenma to input his number.

Kenma gave a short laugh, hiding it behind a fist as he tried to hide it as a cough.  
“Yea sorry, this was unexpected” he handed the phone back.

Kuroo smiled.  
“Are you alright walking home?”.

“Yea” Kenma gave a small smile back. “Hey Kuroo do you think we could” he played with his hands in front of him, looking towards Kuroo, and his arms seemed to twitch.

Oh. He wanted a hug.

Kuroo suppressed a laugh as he stepped forward and embraced him. Kenmas arms hesitated before reaching out and wrapping themselves around Kuroo. He gave a short sigh, leaning his head on Kuroos chest. 

And yep that was the sound of Kuroos heart skipping a beat right there. Because he felt so small in his arms, like he needed protecting. But he was so warm as well, and he fit just under Kuroos chin and ...yea he really was a hopeless romantic.

When they pulled away, the tops of Kenma cheeks were tinted.  
“Goodbye, Kuroo” he mumbled.

“Night, Kenma” Kuroo nodded.

"Thanks for drawing a massive dick on your face a day ago by the way" Kenma deadpanned, even though there was a spark to his eyes.

Kuroo froze, and then began to laugh

And then the small boy was walking past him, shooting him one more look over his shoulder before stuffing his hands in his pockets and pacing away.

Kuroo waited until he was out of sight before sighing heavily, feeling content.

He had a soul mate....HE HAD A SOULMATE!  
Kuroo could literally leap for joy right now.

But instead he focused on getting back on track, walking home. It really hadn't been a normal day.

He fished his phone out his pockets, fingers flying to tap out a message to Bokuto. 

NEKO NEKO NEE:  
Bro txt me RIGHT AWAY. Like literally I dnt care if youre on the toilet. SeNd me a text. I have so much to tell you!

Five minutes later and he still hadn't replied, which was weird for his over zealous best friend. Frowning, he texted again, and was met with no reply. Switching over to a new chat, he began to type a message to Akaashi.

Devil Kuroo:  
Hey Kash, hv you hrd from Bokuto?

He's not replying at allllll

Aakkaasshhii:  
No he has not replied to me either.  
Something feels very wrong.

Can you call me?

Kuroo looked down at his phone, incredulously. Shit...this was bad?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hath given another chapter. Because my school starts back up tomorrow and i'm honestly not sure what time ill have to update (╯_╰)
> 
> But people were asking what happened to Kuroken, and I was just gonna write a spin off for it. But then I was like screw it, cause I wanted a little break before we dive into that deep conclusion chapter. Also kuroken warms my heart...even though this chapter is pure ANgSt ahaha.
> 
> I think theres gonna be 1 or 2 chapters left of this story (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ


	10. Damage Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teenage romance am I right.

Had he ever been spread so thin, trying to perform and juggle so much that he felt overwhelmed?  
Of course he had, but it didn't stop him from feeling completely like a disastrous piece of shit.

What had he done wrong? He hadn't heard from Koutarou in the two days since training, and it was worrying, to say the least. Where had the promise of texting Keiji every day gone? 

At first he had just thought that Bokuto had forgotten, but on second thought, that seemed inexplicable when taking his personality into consideration. He would never. 

And so Akaashi texted him first, and then he texted another time, and another time, but no reply, and it was all starting to seem convoluted.

He paced the length of his bedroom, phone clutched tight in his hand as he wished for it to sing the song of his notifications bell. But it remained the useless brick it was, and he flopped down onto his bed with a large sigh.

A large canvas full of drawings lay to the side of the room, violent with splashes of colour. Why he had tried to paint his frustration out? It was habit. Paint streaks lay up his arms as proof of the turmoil.

How pathetic was he really? It was a sunday afternoon and all he had wanted was Bokuto to text him and maybe they could construct a plan to avoid his parents and escape his house. A little taste of freedom.

“Why don't you put together a jigsaw puzzle?” his mother had asked, eyes examining and scanning over Akaashis arms in particular as he stood in her office.

Akaashi had nearly scoffed, but instead politely told her “no thanks” in a very “fuck off” tone before stalking back to his room. He had made a poor attempt of asking if he could get out of the house for a bit. Of course it hadn't worked.

Usually she wasn't this strict. In fact his dad told him she wasn't impervious to letting Keiji have more freedom after talking to her over training camp.

That was until she apparently observed the news, watching her kidnapping stories and the new theorized motives behind mass murders and soul mate ambushing. A recent one on the news had set her overbearing mind off, and now it was effecting Keiji.

He didn't know what had shaken her so bad, but he held a little sympathy at seeing her pale face and on edge movements all weekend, coming to check up on Keiji, always those straying eyes all over his body. Looking. Searching for something. Any tell tale sign.

He had never heard the full story from his mother about the details of her past friend from when she was younger, but it never failed to choke back her words as she derailed the conversation elsewhere.

Keiji was stuck in between of understanding her reasoning for wanting to keep him safe, as well as being completely rebellious to it. He wanted to live his life, risks or not. And his mother didn't seem to get that.

Suddenly the phone by his head gave a buzz, and he practically dived to pick it up, powering it on...only to see a message from Kuroo.

Devil Kuroo:  
Hey Kash, hv you hrd from Bokuto?  
He's not replying at allllll

Akaashi groaned, letting his arms fall to the mattress. He gave it a moment before shifting onto his side, arms curled up to his chest to type out a reply. At least Kuroo was alive. He should of thought about texting him in the first place. He could run Kuroo down, make him hand over the answers to his ever growing problem.

Aakkaasshhii:  
No he has not replied to me either.  
Something feels very wrong.  
Can you call me?

He sneered at the nickname Kuroo had given him, and his heart lurched. It sounded too much like the continuous variations of his name that Bokuto used to run through. Agaashi! Kaashi! Cash-Money! Akaaashi! Akaash! Give me a toss Agaashki!

Who was Keiji? reminiscing over him like this. Bokuto used to say my name like that, Bokuto used to cross spike like that, Bokuto used to drink water. 

Ridiculous. He was being ridiculous. 

Suddenly the ringing of his phone snapped him out of his thought bubble, and he clicked accept on a photo of Kuroo hanging upside down from the railings in the gymnasium. Taken when? He didn't know.

“Babe!” Kuroos voice drifted out.

Akaashi opened his mouth to speak.

“-but like platonically” Kuroo finished.

“Thanks for calling, Sweetheart” Akaashi replied, mockingly.

Kuroo gasped, excitedly.

“But like rivalry” Akaashi added.

“Dude, but like romantically?” Kuroo asked, teasingly.

Akaashi clicked his tongue, retorts ready to go.

“Okay so Bokuto is missing?” Kuroo switched the topic, abruptly.

He snapped his mouth shut, teeth clinking together. Right, Bokuto...

“So you haven't been in contact with him...huh” Akaashi sighed, letting his eyes drift closed.

“Nope. He's officially the lost child on the back of a milk carton” Kuroo chuckled.

“Shouldn't you be more worried about your friend” Akaashi rolled onto his back with an irritated tone to his voice.

“Mm, when we got off the training camp, he told me the next day that he came down the flu. I'm guessing he's just sleeping it away” Kuroo spoke the words with ease.

“He hardly gets sick, but when he does, it hits like a truck”.

“So I shouldn't be bothered that he hasn't texted me...” he asked, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth. Just who was he. Was he acting clingy. He had never had a relationship before.

“...No, it's a little weird. When he's sick, he's usually online 24/7 bombarding me with texts. Honestly I've been kicked out of class tests before because my phone wouldn't shut up”.

“Mmm” Akaashi hummed.

“Not to mention I thought you would of thrown your own phone into a river by now. He should be texting and calling you like the worlds most nosiest trumpet” Kuroo dwindled off, suddenly unsure.

“I texted him and never got a reply, so I assumed...I don't know what I assumed” Akaashi sighed.

“Wait a sec!” Kuroos voice gained volume. “You texted him and he never replied. He's dead, he's gotta be dead. That poor boy has influenza, mad cow disease, the plague. We have to go see him” Kuroo belted out in fake hysterics.

“Okay you go see him and kick his ass into gear for me” Akaashi rolled his eyes with a monotone voice.

“Nope, i'm walking home and also nearly there. Once I enter that hell hole i'm getting grounded for being out past dark and not telling anyone. ” Kuroo laughed.

“OH SHIT”.

Akaashi held the phone far from his face as Kuroo abruptly yelled.

“We were talking about Bokuto so much I forgot to be totally pompous and narcissistic. I have so much to tell you guys aghhHHHHH!”

“Can we save it until were sure Bokuto isn't stuck in a bear trap somewhere?” he asked.

“Honestly sounds like him, but no no no I have to tell you this!”.

Akaashi blinked. This was obviously important. 

“Go on” he urged.

“So I...wait, can I have drum roll please” Kuroo spoke giddily.

“Will the sound of this call ending do?” he huffed.

“You're such a sourpuss. Reminds me of my soulmate that I met today”.

Kuroo spoke the words so casually that Akaashi nearly drifted over them. His lips curled into a smile.

“Oh...Kuroo. I didn't know you owned an ouija board” Akaashi teased, although his heart was thumping from happiness for his friend.

“No!!!!” Kuroo wailed, unapparent to the mocking. “He's not dead. He's not a ghost. He's a real boy!”.

“Pinocchio then” Akaashi corrected himself.

“Remind me why my nickname in the chat is devil kuroo while you're standing there, sarcastic and mean on two legs” Kuroo grumbled.

“Sorry, sorry” Akaashi grinned. “I'm really happy for you. Do you want to tell me what happened? Was it the romantic rom-com conclusion you always dreamed of?”.

“Oh my god I wish. The whole entire time he looked like he wanted to slap me around and then throw me into a pig pen, leaving me for dead” Kuroo huffed.

“For dead?” Akaashi asked, perplexed.

“Pigs are omnivores. They can eat humans” Kuroo stated.

“I'm going to ignore that” Akaashi said slowly.

“You're right, save it for your nightmares” Kuroo chuckled.

“Anyways, are you going to tell me what happened. I feel like a whole year has passed already”.

Akaashis eyes flittered to the window where the moon was rising, hanging in the air with early night. He sighed before pulling his phone down and putting it on speaker so he could scroll through his phone.

“I would, but i'm approaching my house and I just saw the lights flicker on...” Kuroo whispered loudly, voice filled with fear.

“Sayonara, loser” Akaashi deadpanned, flicking away an ad when it popped up on his screen.

“I'll text you the address and you can go see Bo after school tomorrow, yea?” Kuroo asked, voice slightly distant as he typed out a text to Keiji.

“I don't-” Akaashi began, but stopped when his eyes fell across a news article. The screen light illuminated his face, the headlines reflecting in his gunmental blue eyes.

Soul mate attacks.

Crossed out words.

Ten fatal attacks already.

“Akaashi?” Kuroo asked, surprised from being left hanging. 

'Im fine, it's fine' is what Akaashi wanted to say, but what really came out was “Hnn””.

“Akaashi? Akaashi are you okay?”.

“I-” he tried to say, but his eyes were trained on the screen, quivering as he read over the article. This was bad. This was...really bad.

“His throat felt tight, his mouth parched, and words were unable to escape him.

“Shit” Kuroo breathed into the phone. “I gotta go. Send me a text to let me know you're alright, okay” he said, and then the phone line was silent, static taking it's place.

Akaashi turned off the phone and let it fall to his side. He blinked in the dark room, eyes readjusting to the sudden obscure blackness that surrounded him, the only light, a glow from the moon cast through his open curtains.

Well...

His heart hammered and his brain whirled. He didn't want to over think this. He really didn't want to...but it was his nature, and his brain was shooting out rapid fire propositions.

What if Bokuto had seen it.  
He had to have seen it right.  
Of course he had. He had seen it, gotten panicked and...

“Go to the police”. The reminders from the article looped through his head, and his gut churned.

How were the police going to help. Where they going to set up a sting operation, try lure out Bokutos soul mate. But thats him. He's Bokutos soul mate, and he doesn't know, and Akaashi is an idiot. An IDIOT.

He reached feebly for his phone once again, and the screen lit up, showing Kuroos previous text with Bokutos address. 

He...he couldn't, right?  
He shouldn't.

But he could  
And if he didn't want the situation to get any more out of hand then  
He should.

Hurriedly he got to his feet and grabbed a hoodie. Time was of the essence. Patting his pockets, he scanned his room, looking for anything he might need, before opening the door and setting off.

“Keiji, there you are. We're about to have dinner” his mother said as he walked through the living room. But he didn't stop.

“Keiji?” she asked, twisting her head to look over the couch as he made his way to the door.

“I'll be back” he responds, shoving his feet into his shoes.

“No you will not. Wh- KEIJI” she yells, storming over across the room as he slips out the door.

Frantically he jumps all six steps, two at a time and lands, making fast work of the ground.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?” she hollers after him.

He hesitates before turning around on the footpath, looking dead set into her eyes. The open door way shutters warm light onto Keijis mother, who is standing on the stone steps, hands gripped tightly around the railing leading downwards. Her face is pale and fear stricken, but it morphs angry with her brows scrunched, lips drawn tight.

“To go find my soul mate” he speaks calmly. 

And he doesn't care how it sounds. Doesn't care how her lips parts in surprise, eyes widening as she fears for his safety. He didn't need her protection in the first place. 

He turns and jogs down the path, ignoring the clattering of shoes down the stairs as his mother chases, but stops at the bottom of the steps, only capable of looking as her son runs away to the inevitable.

He hardly has the chance to think as he follows the address Kuroo had texted him. It turns out their houses were closer than he thought, but that was okay. Akaashi could overthink ten times as fast in the span of 10 minutes.

So when he arrives at Bokutos door step, he has the worst in mind. He hesitantly held his hand over the door in a fist, and knocked. 

Maybe there'd be a swat team ready to tackle whoever walked through the door, capture him and take him to a station where he'd wake up with people shining torches into his eyes and-

He was greeted with a woman's face opening the door. She was short with platinum hair pulled back into a low ponytail. Her face was warm, but lined with a few faint wrinkles and tired eyes. She smiled, pleasant with a flushed face as she held a large washing basket to her waist.

Her smile dropped when her eyes fell onto Akaashi. “Oh, you're not testicle”.

Akaashi blinked.  
“What?” he asked as she eyed him up and down.

“Oh, sorry! Thats my sons best friend- oh gosh” she muttered, hoisting the washing basket higher on her hip.

“My bad, who are you?” she asked, bright grin back on her face.

“M-my names Akaashi Keiji” he grappled to say, fingers scratching at his nails as he looked behind her, worriedly. He was looking to see if he could get a glance at Bokuto. Suddenly he realized how awkward this must seem.

“I'm a friend of your sons. I was uh hoping to see him, since I heard he was sick”.

She tilted her head, scrutinizing him with her two golden eyes.  
“And you came over at this time of the night?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“O-oh i'm sor-”.

“Ahaah! Im just joking with ya. It's fine” she laughed, giving him a slap on the shoulder. He smiled back weakly. Koutarou must have inherited his behavior from his mother.

Suddenly two kids came sprawling down the stairs, chasing each other. One a girl and the other a boy. They bowled into the back of their mother, shoving the washing basket to the floor.

And Koutarou must of passed on that inheritance to his siblings...

“You brats!” she cursed them.

The two twins turned to look at them, grins wide. Their gold eyes flashed to Keiji. It was kind of unsettling, the whole family having those same large flaxen eyes, tinted with tuscan sun, perspective and sharp.

Upon seeing Keiji, they grinned even wider.  
“Who's that” the boy pointed at him.

Their mother took a step towards them, swatting.  
“Get out of here or clean this up” she grumbled, pointing at the washing strayed over the floor.

The twins looked at each other before the girl reached over and pulled at the boys hair. He yelped and she ran away as he reached for her, sending scathing insults and curses.

“OI, NO CALLING YOUR SISTER A TOESUCKER IN THIS HOUSE, THANKYOU!” she yelled after them.

“I did not teach them to swear, I promise” she huffed, turning back to him with her hands on her hips. She looked worn out as well as thrilled from her over enthusiastic family. 

“It's okay. I'm not in a place to judge ” Akaashi smiled back at her.

“Ah! Such a polite boy. Are you sure you're friends with Kou?” she chuckled.

“We're very close” he nodded, attentively.

“Right about that! He's been sick all darn weekend. At first I thought he was just being lazy with excuses to get out of doing his chores. But nope, sick as he was when he vomited in our bird bath after being stabbed in the stomach with an oversized Jenga block”.

“Long story” she waved a hand at Akaashi, who was looking bewildered. “He had just eaten a lot before hand. Family gathering and all. He was basically the imitation of Kairoseki” she chortled.

Akaashi was finding it hard to follow this extravagant hot blooded woman, rambling as if they had known each other for years and had bumped into each other on the street. But it seemed so in character for someone apart of the Bokuto family.

“Anyways” she took a deep breath. (She needed it). “Koutarou. He's taking a walk right now. He's been so feverish, and it's nearly summer too! It must be stress induced” she tapped her chin in thought.

Stress induced? What would Bokuto have anything to be stressed about. Of course it had to be Akaashi. Or maybe he should stop being so self absorbent.

“A walk? where?” he asked, confused.

“Dunno. That way?” she shrugged, gesturing to the right unsurely with her thumb.

Akaashi blinked. Not only had Bokuto left the house at night by himself. But his family didn't know where he was going or when he would be back. The freedom that Akaashi had never possessed. 

“Right, thank you”.

“If you find him, can you kick his ass and tell him to get back soon. He's the only one who can contain thing 1 and thing 2” she rolled her eyes.

“I'll try my best, he shouldn't be too hard to miss” he nodded.

“Not when he died his hair white to try look like his dear old momma” she cackled, flipping her pony tail over her shoulder.

Suddenly a broad shouldered man passed the doorway, but stopped when he realized there was an occurrence. He was heavily muscled, tall and had short black spiky hair with tanned skin.

“Who's this, who's this” he smirked, pulling up beside his wife.

“This is Keiji-chan, look how adorable he is!” she cooed, cupping her cheek with a hand.

“Ah, a new addition to the family then?” his dad shook his head, grinning.

Akaashi waved his hands in front of himself, innocently.  
“No, no i'm just here for Koutarou” he replies, exasperated

“Here for Kou? A new boyfriend?”. Bokutos dad looks towards his wife, who smiles impishly.

“Look at those eyelashes. How can we get those genetics into our bloodline?” she hums, narrowing her eyes at him.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I really do have to get going” Akaashi spoke, eerily.

“He thinks were going to murder him now, good going Harumi” he slapped the side of his wife's shoulder lightly. She huffed a snort at him before turning her attention back to Keiji.

“Have a nice night then, and don't forget to come around more often” she grinned. “We have a nice basement and everything!”.

“Harumi-”.

“Right, right, bye Keiji” she laughed.

“Goodnight ma'am” he nodded with a weak smile. 

Then the door was shutting on their waves and he was walking down the path. From behind him in the house, he heard a loud smash. Most likely a plate.

And he thought Koutarou was the destructive one.

Akaashi set off down the right of the footpath, taking in a sharp exhale and releasing a heavy sigh. They were a very...animated family. And not to lie, he kind of loved it as well as it being absolutely life draining in the few minutes he had been there.

As he walked, he observed the surroundings. An attempt to settle his mind. The milky white light of the moon poured over the streets, spilling across Keijis face. The greenery soaked up the valuable pale light, cascading over tender leaves and trees.

After a while of scouring, his heart hung heavy in his chest, his feet ached and his head felt tight. He had the set of mind to give up by now. It was getting late..but he couldn't return, not yet. Not when he knew what would be waiting for him at home. He couldn't go back knowing that his efforts had been put to waste. He would bring no accomplishments back, only his own disappointment to meet and match with his parents impasse.

That was before he stopped in the footpath and squinted. Flooded over a nearby playground was the luminous moonlight, shining bright over white hair of a boy sitting in a swing, back turned towards Akaashi. His shoes toed at the ground, dimpling the bark as he pushed away from the ground lightly, swaying mildly.

The chains of the swing creaked strident as Akaashi silently walked up to Bokuto and took the next swing over. 

Bokuto had the courtesy of looking utterly surprised as his head swiveled to take in Keiji, sitting on the swing, gaze staring straight ahead.

Akaashi lifted his hands to his mouth and puffed an eupnea of air. It was still spring, and the seat sat chilly underneath him hugging his thighs, the metal chains beside him, cool to the touch.

“Kaashi?” Bokuto said the words softly in question, but his voice held a certain grate to it. His eyes remained on Akaashi as he dropped his hands back to his lap.

Akaashi flit his gaze to Bokuto and then back in front of him.  
“It's rather cold out, isn't it?”.

“Huh?” is all Bokuto could manage, eyes growing wider as he truly took in Akaashi sitting next time. It wasn't just some fever hallucinated dream.

He huffed another breath before he looked back at Bokuto, who had his eyes trained on Akaashis face, eyes wide and unblinking.

“Are you sure you should be out here if you have a fever” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow.

“Oh” Bokuto looked at his feet, and he pushed the bark around in contempt. “Nah, this is the first time my head's been clear in days, I needed to get out”.

His eyes flashed back to Akaashi.  
“Plus the cold air feels real good” he grinned.

Akaashi tilted his head in thought, wondering why Bokuto hadn't jumped him with sudden questions about why he was suddenly here, how he had found him, how he knew he was sick.

But as he looked closer, he saw the fatigue in the way his shoulders slumped, and the tired lines underneath his eyes, probably from restless nights, tossing and turning. Akaashis heart gave away a little bit.

“Here, feel” Bokuto insisted, grabbing Akaashis hand and pulling it towards his forehead. Akaashi stifled a smile as he let Bokuto guide him, and it was true. He was burning up. 

His smile fell once again.

“Sorry I wasn't there to take care of you. I wish I had been there” he mumbled, drawing his hand away.

“Nah” Bokuto shook his head. “I haven't texted you at all so it's my fault. God i'm terrible, aren't I?” he huffed a soft laugh.

“Not at all” Akaashi retorted, eyebrows scrunching. “I'm just concerned at how you got sick, really”.

And suddenly Bokuto was frowning, mouth twisting to the side as he eyed the ground.

“Say Akaashi, what would you do if you found out your soul mate wasn't real?” he asked.

Akaashis expression gave away to shock.  
“We've already talked about this Bokuto. Wether I have a soul mate or not, I still want to be with you”.

“No, no” Bokuto shook his head. “Like what if you found out your soul mate wasn't your soul mate. What if they were...impersonating them. What if they were...” he trailed off.

Akaashis heart thumped. The article. The article. The article. 

“Would you like to tell me what's on your mind Bokuto?” he asked, gently.

“Why are you out here, Keiji?” he suddenly turned to him.

And ah, there it was.

“Duck hunting?” Akaashi raised his eyebrows and smiled.

It gained a snort of laughter from Bokuto. Keiji counted that as a win, even if he immediately returned to his somber expression. 

“No, really though”.

“I was worried...” Akaashi spoke.

“You don't have to worry about me. I'm just a little confused right now” Bokuto laughed lightly.

Again with that fake laughter. Why was he trying to act like everything was alright, when really it fucking wasn't at all. 

He watched as Bokutos eyes fell to his own arms, where paint streaks lay up to his elbows, bright and vivid. Akaashis paint streaks...

“You're confused about your soul mate?” he urged, somewhat reluctantly.

“Yea” Bokutos eyes bounced back to him. “I don't know who they are...what they want...I- I saw something and now I-” he cut himself off by biting his lower lip. He looked ready to curl up and cry.

“You...saw the news, didn't you?” Akaashi spoke, voice rigid.

“Yea” Bokuto croaked, lifting a hand to rub at his nose. “How'd you know?”.

Akaashi swallowed heavily, phlegm building in his throat and choking him as he tried to push himself to the say words, tried to take the next step.

“Bokuto. I know who your soul mate is” he mumbled, quietly. He played with the hem of his hoodie nervously as he watched Bokutos eyes widen, lips parting as he looked on in confusion.

“What do you mean? You're friends with a killer? I don't know how I feel about dating a member of the yakuza, Akaashi”.

Akaashi couldn't help but let out a huff of laughter as he continued to tug at the end of his hoodie sleeves. Just do it. Do it. 

“No, Bokuto” he whispered.

He let out a long shuddering breath.

“...Akaashi?”.

He inhaled sharply and grabbed the edge of his sleeve, slowly shuffling it up his arm. Underneath the fabric lay washes of orange and yellow, bright against his pale moonlit skin.

He didn't check for Bokutos reaction before starting on the next sleeve, pulling it up to reveal reds, oranges and white splashes of paint. 

To his side he heard a whimper as he dragged the fabric up to his elbow, mirroring the other side as to put both arms on display.

Akaashi shut his eyes briefly before turning to him with a dismal look. Bokutos eyes were trained downwards, flickering between both of their arms, shocked and confused at the same time as he matched up the markings.

...

“FUCK” Bokuto yelled sharply.

Akaashi leant back in shock as he watched Bokuto slide his hands into his hair, elbows resting on knees and he curled over himself.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, are you serious, Akaashi!” he wailed.

“Well I...” Akaashi procrastinated his next words. This wasn't what he was expecting. Then again, when it came to Bokuto, he never knew what to expect. But this time, it was scary.

“You and I” Bokuto said, lower lip trembling.

“I think...I should leave” Akaashi said, pushing himself to his feet. But a hand darted out and grabbed his wrist. He turned and made eye contact with Bokuto who straightened his back.

Thick droplets of tears trailed down his flushed cheeks, and his eyebrows were drawn together as he tried to control his emotions.

“Please don't go” he whispered.

His pulse hummed erratically under his skin, and doubt clouded his vision, but still he sat back down. The wrist around his hand gave away and Akaashi instead slipped his hand into Bokutos, curling his fingers between Bokutos own, entwining their hands. He gave a gentle encouraging squeeze.

“Sorry i'm such a mess” Bokuto choked out, laughing slightly between his tears, which seemed to be relentless

“I didn't figure for you to be okay when I told you this, Bokuto” Akaashi chided lightly.

“Still feel like shit though” Bokuto sniffed, rubbing away tears with his free hand as he smiled.

“I've been feeling shit about keeping this from you for so long” Akaashi huffed, voice littered with guilt.

“You have a lot of questions to answer alright” Bokuto laughed, squeezing Akaashis hand back.

“You're not mad?”.

Bokuto tilted his head at him.  
“Mad?...oh, well yea a little. But mainly i'm just so happy!” he chuckled. 

Warmth spread underneath Akaashis skin. Maybe he was getting a fever too...or maybe he was also really really happy.

“I'm glad” he sighed. “Because I love you, Koutarou”.

Bokutos breathing seemed to stop all at once as he stared at Akaashi. Akaashis cheeks immediately burned. The words had just left his mouth. It was all in the moment.

“Uwah! Akaashi I love you too!!! A lot! Like a lot a lot!” he rambled, excitedly. He stood up and rounded the swing to stand in front of Keiji, grabbing his second hand.

Akaashi lowered his gaze to his lap, embarrassed to make eye contact. He was sure he was positively red everywhere by now. But it didn't last long when Bokuto was pulling Akaashi to his feet, and he was forced to make eye contact with him.

And oh god he was melting. Bokutos eyes were wide, luminous and gold, shining bright as thanks from the moon.

“Akaashi, Akaashi say it again” he whined.

Akaashi shook his head with a laugh.  
“I love you. It's not that hard to say Bo-”.

But he didn't get to finish the sentence, breath stolen from his lungs as Bokuto kissed him. And suddenly the world was falling away with the soft press of those plush lips. It was slow and soft, comforting in the way that words would never describe. And he felt so loved.

Bokutos hand rested below his ear, thumb caressing his cheek as their breaths mingled with each other. Akaashi pulled away with a too wide smile, giddy. He giggled, bubbly and bright, as Bokuto stared at him with fondness. His breath was shortened as Bokuto grinned back.

“I'm pretty sure I've said this before. But I really like when you're like this, Keiji” he hummed.

Akaashis giggling fell away and he sighed, leaning his head softly on Bokutos chest as arms encircled his waist. 

“Like what” he mumbled, softly.

“Just being beautiful” he chuckled.

Akaashi snorted.  
“Lies”.

“My bad. I meant to say you're beautiful all the time, but right now, oof oh my god, my heart is going doki doki in my chest” Bokuto exclaimed. 

Akaashi huffed, shoving Bokutos chest as he stepped away.  
“Such an idiot” he groaned, hands slapping his cheeks.

“But i'm your idiotttt” he sung, hand linking with one of Akaashis again.

...

“Right” Akaashi grinned.

Suddenly there were bright flashing lights gleaming over the two of them as a car pulled up next to the playrgound. They flashed blue and red, blinding Keiji as he cupped a hand over the top of his eyes, squinting the distance to the car.

“What the?” Bokuto asked, bewildered.

Well... Akaashi had run out on his mother, claiming to go find a soul mate he had never told her about before, and especially after all the news stories. Honestly it was kind of expected. How hadn't he thought of the consequences earlier. Oh well...the damage has been done.

He watched as a police officer stepped out the car. The passenger door swung open and out came his own mother. 

He should feel a little more scared, a little more guilty. But what was the saying again? Love could overpower anything? Aha...how ridiculous.

Akaashi turned to look at Bokuto again.  
“Would you like to meet my mother for the first time?” he asked with a grin.

Bokuto stared back at him with tenderness in his eyes.  
“Ive always wanted to know how it feels when getting stabbed”.

And Akaashi laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...I had a whole weekend to write this basically. And yet my stupid ass wasn't for some reason. So this sunday afternoon I was lying on the beach with my friends when suddenly I choked on a sour patch kid.
> 
> Life flashed before my eyes and everything, and I thought, darn I never finished the story. So anyways, after sculling tons of water, I ran home, jumped on my laptop, and wallah.
> 
> Also i'm writing this at 2am, so honestly, this could be a very anticlimactic ending, but I wouldn't know B) because i'm tired and slightly high off inhaling fried rice like its air.
> 
> There'll be one more chapter after this!


	11. Satisfied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say love is a wild journey.  
> But all they wanted was to be content.

“Was that supposed to hurt?” Kuroo asked, peering down at Kenma from the couch.

“Were you supposed to be born?” Kenma asked, blankly, pulling away the pen from where he had stabbed Kuroos leg.  
It left an ink splotch and a dent in it's desolation.

“Oh thank god some one who can bully Kuroo as much as he bullies the rest of us” Bokuto huffed a huge sigh, plopping down on the couch.

Kuroo gave a few low chuckles and a wiggle of his eyebrows. Kenma straightened his back and looked towards Bokuto. Steadily he raised the pen and clicked it a few times with murderous intent in his direction.

Bokuto gulped heavily before Akaashi was swiping a pen across Kenmas nape as he walked back from the kitchen.

“Keiji!' Kenma hissed, hands slapping to cover the back of his neck as Akaashi situated himself comfortably on the couch.

“That's my manz! Ultimate protection when needed” Bokuto laughed loudly, throwing his arms around Akaashis waist to pull him close to his side. 

Akaashi smiled sweetly in Bokutos direction before it fell into a stern line and he narrowed his eyes in Kuroos direction.

“If I may weigh in on the bullying situation” Akaashi clicked his tongue. “Why, Kuroo, did you force us to gather here in your house today?”.

“When we were going to go see that new pixar movie” Kenma added, throwing the pen at Kuroos face. He dodged.

“Especially since we were going to go see that new pixar movie” Akaashi repeated.

“I can explain” Kuroo held out his hands in innocence as he was affronted with displeased stares.

Apart from Bokuto. Bokuto looked quite content with his eyes closed, head on shoulder as he hugged Akaashi from the side.  
A gentle smile graced his face. 

“It's really not that complicated, I just thought we could pre-game with a little introduction of soul mates” Kuroo grinned and gestured to Kenma who was still sitting cross legged on the floor.

“This is Kenma, my one true beautiful, sweet-”

“Love is over rated” Kenma interrupted.

“My one true beautiful, sweet, lovely SOUL MATE” Kuroo continued, punctuating the last words while he looked at Kenma, who just sniffed and looked off to the side.

“Okay, but I already know Kenma” Bokuto mumbled happily against Akaashis neck, just loud enough to be heard.

“Akaashi doesn't” Kuroo clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“He's in a few of my AP classes, actually” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow.

Kuroo swung his head to look between Kenma and Akaashi a few times before huffing and crossing his arms over his chest.

“All of you leave right now” he commanded.

“Alright” Akaashi and Kenma said in unison, simultaneously beginning to raise from their spots, Bokuto giving off a whine in response.

“Wait hey hey, sit back down, who said you could leave!” Kuroo snapped.

“...You” Kenma muttered as they both fell back into their positions, Bokuto snuggling up to Akaashi needfully once again.

“I gave you those pens for a reason! I'm a romantic dork and I want to see magic happen. So please please draw on yourselves so we can see it. The movie isn't for another two hours” Kuroo pleaded.

“Mmm...I don't feel like it” Kenma hummed, picking at the carpet lint.

“Do I have to remind someone that I thought they were DEAD” Kuroo waved the pen in front of his face.

Kenma looked at the ground for a solid few seconds before snatching the pen away from Kuroos hand, annoyed.

“You cant guilt trip him forever” Akaashi supplied, eyes focused on a doodle of an owl he was sketching on the back of his hand.

“Toxic energy” Bokuto slurred sleepily.

“Of course I wont. Just until he finally admits that he actually wants to be here” Kuroo rolled his eyes.

“I never want to be in any social situation” Kenma answered, stubbornly. He flicked his wrist, starting to draw the hat off Link from Breath of the Wild. The mini caricature held up his sword with a sweep of triumph.

“Ah I miss this” Bokuto sighed.

“Missed what?” Akaashi asked, pulling his eyes away from the ink.

“Us” Bokuto mumbled, yawning as he dragged himself away from Akaashis side to stretch.

“Gayyyy” Kuroo drawled. Even though he was leaning over the couch expeditiously trying to peer at what Kenma was drawing, smile high on his face.

“It's been one day, Bokuto” Akaashi huffed a laugh, stroking ink feathers onto his tiny owl. It sat there with thick eyebrows and exuberant eyes that stared back at him.

“Yea, but your mother nearly didn't let you out last time, so I'm counting every hang out as a victory and I will savor every moment” Bokuto huffed grabbing a pen for himself. 

He peeped over at Akaashis drawing before trying to replicate the result on his bicep, tongue sticking out the side of his mouth in concentration.

“Oh yea, how did that whole shi-bang go down?” Kuroo asked, leaning back when Kenma batted him.

Bokuto slowly lowered his arm, blinking a few times in silence before turning to share a look with Akaashi. He gave a nod, and Bokuto turned back to Kuroo with a grin.  
“It actually wasn't that bad!”.

“You got the po-po called on you” Kenma reminded him.

“It isn't an exciting love story if the police don't show up and if at least one person doesn't die a tragic slow death, breathing their last words” Bokuto beamed.

“So who died in your story?” Kuroo asked.

“Hmm.. no one yet” Bokuto shrugged.

“I volunteer as tribute” Kenma muttered from the floor, earning a snort of laughter from Kuroo.

“We had to apologize to the policeman and we got taken back to Akaashis place. I was so scared that I peed a little, I swear” Bokuto exclaimed.

Akaashi held back a choked sound, hand flying over his smile. Bokuto turned to look at him with a grin before turning back to Kuroo.  
“And then we settled it all and now Kaashi can go out whenever he wants”.

“Apart from I have a curfew” Akaashi adds.

“I wouldn't say i'm a hero or anything” Bokuto drawled, twirling the pen in his hand.  
“But like if someone were to say I was a hero, I wouldn't n o t disagree with him”.

“He sat there chewing his nails and bouncing his leg the whole time. My mother had to ask if he had nerve damage” Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“Aha!” Kuroo laughed, pointing at Bokuto, who pouted.

“You'd be jumpy too if you were standing in front of a woman who knew you had just given the best smooch ever to her son!” Bokuto grumbled. He huffed, licking his hand and smoothing it over his failed drawing.

“Best kiss ever? Well how would we determine that?” Kuroo wiggled his eyebrows, leaning his palms on the couch in Akaashis direction.

Akaashi looked on in disgust and Kuroo was promptly elbowed sharply in the ribs by Bokuto.  
“You really gonna do that when Kenma is right there, huh?”.

“Kuroo and I aren't dating” Kenma shrugged.  
He placed down the pen and held his arm up to the light, gazing proudly at his newly finished art.

“You poor soul” Akaashi cooed and teased at Kuroo from across the length of the couch, knowing he was safe with Bokuto as a buffer between them.

“Hey!” Kuroo said, infuriatingly. “I was the one to friend zone first. So if i'm not getting ass, then that's my decision!”.

Kuroos eyes quickly darted to Kenma who had his eyebrows raised.

“And Kenma... of course” he laughed nervously. He turned to sit on the large couch sideways to avoid his gaze.

Kenma shook his head with an exasperated smile before looking up towards Akaashi.  
“Are your parents not homophobic? I thought that was one of the factors in your past dilemma”.

“His break down” Bokuto corrected with a smile and a finger held up. He was whacked on the back of the head without hesitation.

“My father is fine with it. Honestly I couldn't see him giving a care about anything I do in particular, if I have good reason behind it. My mother...she was also surprisingly fine. When I accused her of looking at same sex couples badly, she said she was merely observing them as she had seen me take interest in...that type of stuff. She apparently wanted to be prepared, and she apologized for it coming off wrong”.

“Yikes- a doodle doo. So it really is settled” Kuroo leant back with a content sigh.

“Let me just say that it was not me who dragged you into my problems, but instead you did it yourself” Akaashi quipped.

“I treasured those long talks at training camp though, bae” Kuroo cooed, cupping his own face with a palm.

This time Kenma abruptly stood and took the two steps over to the couch, placing himself between Kuroos legs and lying back into his chest with a hmph.

Kuroo stared in bewilderment before a shaky smile climbed on his face. He placed two arms hesitantly around Kenmas middle, and his eyes gleamed with happiness when he wasn't rejected and pushed away.

Right... it was Kuroos choice to be friends. For sureeee.

“Jealously looks great on you” Akaashi remarked, looking at Kenma with a teasing smile.

“I don't see you pushing away any of that” Kenma pointed at Bokuto. He had resumed his previous position and was clinging to Akaashis side like a happy barnacle. 

Akaashi slowly lifted his hand from where it was stroking Bokutos hair and adverted his gaze with silent guilt.

Kenma huffed a triumphant smile before peering down at his watch.  
“Well” Kenma clapped his hands before pushing himself out of Kuroos lap and to his feet. “Enough of that”.

“Eh!” Kuroo whined, arms falling to his side with the sudden nothingness to grab. "That was seconds worth!".

“The movie starts soon and we still need to walk there” Kenma pointed out, moving around to gather his hoodie and belongings.

“Oooh I don't want to miss previews!” Bokuto hooted, pushing himself away from Akaashis side, finally, and jumping up.

Kuroo slid along the now empty space of the couch to Akaashi.

“I think you're like a charging port for him” Kuroo whispered, eyes following Bokuto as he bounced around the room grabbing his own things.

“What happens when he gets to 100%?” Akaashi whispered back, eyes also trained on his boyfriend.

“He goes to 110%, and then i'm certainly sure he turns into the hulk and breaks into the zoo for us to ride the zebras and fly away into the sunset” Kuroo nods.

“With what wings?” Akaashi turns to look at him.

“We'll paint them on” Kuroo grinned with a shrug. And then he was also pushing himself up off the couch. Akaashi leant back into the cushions with a deep sigh, counting to three before groaning and also getting up.

“What snacks are we gonna get, Kaashi?” Bokuto bounced to his side as the group made their way out the door.

“Oh” Akaashi peered up from where he was tying a flannel around his waist. “Skittles?”.

“How unique of you” Kuroo noted, locking the door behind them.

“What can I say. I'm left handed in a right hand world” Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“Woah, Akaashi I didn't know you were left handed!?” Bokuto tilted his head in question.

Kuroo snorted, face palming.

“It's an expression, Bokuto” Akaashi smiled.

“Oh” Bokuto chuckled.

The day was a fine one. The light painted their skin warmly and the trees danced in choreography with the light wind in perfect time. The skies held blue with only a few outlying clouds heading off towards anywhere and no where. A sweet fragrence of cut grass wafted through the air and birds chattered above. The sun was already a ball of bright yellow above, making the concrete beneath their feet warm. 

Kuroo and Kenma walked slightly futher up the path. The blonde boy had pulled out his gaming device, hunched over slightly as he relied on Kuroo to guide him.

But he wasnt doing much of a good job as he watched Kenma play, pointing out a few things with running commentary. Over time when they began to drift, Kenma would shoot him a glare and Kuroo would just chuckle, pulling them both back on path. An excuse for the physical contact.

Akaashi jolted as a hand slid into his, but then warmth was spreading beneath his chest and he couldnt help but smile, entwining their fingers.

“Theyre cute together” Bokuto noted with a grin, looking up ahead.

“Yea...” Akaashi admitted.

“Y'know who's cuter?... Us”.

Akaashi snorted a small laugh and Bokutos eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled harder. He swung their hands between them lightly.

“And I didn't even get stabbed for it” Bokuto pointed out.

“There's still time” Akaashi hummed.

“Ya think so?”.

“Are you really that keen on it. I'm pretty sure Kenma wouldn't even think to hesitate?” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow with a grin.

“Ah” Bokuto winced. “Maybe a metaphorical stab would work better. He looks like he wouldn't just stop at one”.

Akaashi clicked his tongue.  
“Kenmas actually very soft...his drawing of Link had Kuroos hairstlye”.

“Who could of guessed” Bokuto laughed.

“He's got a lucky soul mate. Kuroo wont treat him any less than how he's supposed to” Akaashi agreed,

…

“Y'know who has a luckier soul mate” Bokuto asked.

But Akaashi broke off into laughter before he could get the rest of the sentence out. He threw his hand over his mouth and giggled. And to Bokuto, it was as beautiful as the weather on that fine day. 

From now on out it was clear skies, bright sun and colorful paint filled days. 

“Me. I'm the lucky one” he answered, and Bokuto smiled.

It was once said that whoever is happy will make others happy too.  
And Bokuto made that all possible for Akaashi.

He was...happy.

Happy and satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello again ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) it is I, the author. So this was the last chapter and hhhhhhh, uhhhhh, mmmmm, yea i'm sad to finish it off but honestly I could of written for a year on this, so its good to stop now. Plus this chapter was like mainly dialogue and wrapping things up, so *cough cough* my bad. Kinda sloppy.
> 
> A lot of people on Wattpad did ask for an epilogue though, and being me, I was like:  
> "Oh no I really cant I have to- oh look i'm already writing it".
> 
> So expect that sometime in the near future (o´ω｀o) but for now, goodbye~  
> Thank you for all the supporting comments, like seriously <3


	12. Epilogue: The taste of victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter uwu

“Sit still” Akaashi commanded.

“I can't! I'm too nervous” Bokuto wailed, shuffling around in the chair. It was a flattering black leather and comfy enough, but he was still wiggling with relentless energy.

Sighing, Akaashi dragged away the needle of the tattoo gun and leaned back. Bokuto swiveled in his chair and gave him an apologetic look.

“I get anxiety when I can't see your face” Bokuto jutted out his bottom lip and looked up at him with starry eyes.

“Well I technically can't tattoo the back of your neck from the front now can I?” Akaashi cocked an eyebrow, folding his arms.

“Haha, you puss- Ahck!” Kuroo groaned from the next chair over, hand flying to cover his ear as it was pierced.

“You also need to sit still”. A slender woman with feather tattoos under each collar bone stood back.

Her black ponytail whipped around as she turned to get the next piercing into her gun. Her charcoal racer singlet revealed black flame tattoos creeping up her back.

“Kiyoko, I thought you were supposed to be the nice manager, what happened” Kuroo seethed through his teeth.

“That was two years ago, and I don't ever recall being nice to you” Kiyoko deadpanned, slotting in the new cartridge.

Kuroo dragged the handheld mirror from the table to peer into, angling to the side to get a better gander. It was a simple black and round, taking up the space of his lobe.

“Hey y'know how you pierce one of your ears and one of them is considered the gay ear. Which one is that again?” he mused, fiddling with the piercing between his two fingers.

Kiyoko slapped his hand away from it and placed an alcohol wipe in his grasp.

“I believe it was the right side” Akaashi noted, placing the gun down to pick up a slip of paper with a design on it.

“Ah shit” Kuroo huffed as he peered at his right ear, looking stingy and red. “Luckily i'm getting both of them pierced, aha”.

“I'll pay you 100 bucks not to do the second one” Kenma looked up from playing his nintendo in the waiting chair to give Kiyoko a dead serious look.

“Hey now, do that and i'll leave you a bad yelp review” Kuroo pointed at Kiyoko, who looked thoroughly done.

“What a dire situation” she muttered sarcastically before moving it to his next ear.

Akaashi studied the slip of paper with the design on it. His design to be exact. It was the backside of a great horned owl, wings spread up and out with luscious long detailed wings.

He had designed it a few weeks prior when Bokuto had finally decided on what he wanted. He was going to tattoo it right on the nape of his neck, wings following the straight lines of his hair, going up in a wide V. Admittedly, he had spent a little too much time on it, even though Bokuto insisted anything Akaashi created would be beautiful.

He couldn't have anything less than perfection. Especially since it was also going to show up on Akaashis own neck, permanent for both of them.

“God damn it” Kuroo hissed as a clicking shot sounded through the room.

Akaashi peered up to see Kuroo huffing as Kiyoko laid the equipment to the side. It wasn't a massive shop, but decent enough. The floors were checkered black and white, walls filled with tattoo designs and artists works. Large windows at the front of the shop let in floods of bright light. Four leather chairs sat in a row along the left side, a register and desk to the right and a curtained space near the back for people if they wanted privacy.

“Right, are you ready now?” Akaashi asked, turning to look back to Bokuto.

He had his bottom lip tugged between his teeth as he leaned to the side, trying to get a better glance at Kuroos new earrings. An impromptu decision when following Bokuto along to the shop.

“I dunno, maybe...maybe we just get piercings, yea?” Bokuto swivelled to look at Akaashi uncertainly.

“No Bokuto, I know you're slightly scared of needles and piercings are also done with needles so it doesn't make much of a difference” he pointed out.

“Well yea but you cant really see it when it's done with a quick gun. Come on neither of us have piercings, Kaash!” Bokuto grinned, excitedly.

“I have a tongue piercing and I know that you know it very well” Akaashi stuck out his tongue where a silver stud sat embedded in the middle.

Kuroo made a choking noise from the chair over. “Too much info” he groaned.

Bokuto only grinned wider.  
“Okay, okay fine tattoo it is” he slumped back into the chair, wiggling his shoulders to get more comfortable.

“Great” Akaashi smiled, eagerly picking the gun back up.

But when he turned it on and the buzzing kicked back up, Bokuto almost tripped when flying out the chair and to his feet.  
“Nope, nope, NOPE” he yelped, backing away to the other side of the room.

“Bokuto” Akaashi sighed, switching off the gun for...what was it? the third time that day.  
“I swear it'll be fine as soon as we get started. It hurts less than you think it does”.

“What if Kiyoko did it so that he could...I don't know, hold your hand or something” Kenma suggested. He didn't take his eyes away from the game.

“She has been doing this longer than you. Aren't you only an apprentice?” Kuroo teased. Akaashi leaned over and flicked his earring. He hissed and cowered away with a glare.

“No, it has to be Akaashi doing it” Bokuto moaned, shuffling forward again, only to stop with realization and take five more steps away from where the chair sat.

“Plus, I never agreed to this. I'm heading out for my break” Kiyoko walked past, slinging a purse over her shoulder. “You all good here, Keiji?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Yes, have fun with Yachi” he wiggled his fingers with a smile. She shot him a bitter look before pushing out the door.

“What's she so sour about?” Kuroo asked, stretching his arms over his head. He looked about ready to sleep in the chair as he slithered further down.

“Ah, Yachi moved here a few months ago and works in a flower shop a few streets from the shop. Sometimes they hang out here and it becomes gay city” Akaashi hummed.

When Akaashi crossed over to the desk on the right side of the room, Bokuto skittered away from him as if he had the gun hidden behind his back, ready to purchase his skin. Akaashi scoffed before plopping down in the chair and opening the draws to pull out a candy bar. Bokutos eyes immediately widened as Akaashi propped his feet up and started on peeling the wrapper.

“Oh, Bokuto, I didn't see you there” Akaashi waved around the newly opened chocolate, and he sunk his teeth into it, taking a large bite.

Bokuto flinched and shook his head.  
“Stay strong, Bokuto” he whispered to himself.

“When are we done here? it's like way too early to be awake” Kenma sighed, pausing his game to take a few large blinks at the light filling the shop.

“yea, why the fuck did we let morning people set the world's operating schedule” Kuroo muttered, snuggling into the leather further.

“They did it while we were sleeping” Kenma answered.

“It's caus I'm not free fo the rst of the day” Akaashi answered around his chewing.

“Popular, are you?” Kuroo asked, eyes fluttering to where Akaashi sucked the last of the caramel from the tips of his fingers. Bokuto watched with disappointment, leaning heavily back against the register.

“You see those tattoo sleeves up his arms?” Bokuto asked Kuroo, pointed at Akaashi.

“Oh yea, whats up with that. Why don't you have any Bokubooty?” Kuroo narrowed his eyes, trailing the patterns from Akaashis wrist to where they disappeared under his black shirt.

“They're fake sleeves I designed. Makes me look like I know what i'm doing, and more professional” Akaashi shrugged. He plucked at the thin material and it snapped back down.

“And d o you know what you're doing?” Kuroo teased.

“Well I get customers don't I?” Akaashi huffed a breath through his nose.

“Too many customers! I'll come visit him for lunch sometimes, and there'll always be a guy hitting him!” Bokuto wailed, slouching as he made his way to the leather chair and fell back into it.

“It's those sleeves, they don't know we're soul mates because I don't have a single mark on my arms”.

“Well if you'd let me tattoo your neck...” Akaashi started, straightening in his chair.

“Here's hoping whoever is hitting on Keiji has a neck fetish, so they can actually see you two have the same one” Kuroo laughed.

Bokuto looked at Akaashi with raised eyebrows and pointed at Kuroo with no other explanation.

“You shut up, i'm not going through with your hand tattoo idea. That'll hurt like a bitch” Akaashi spoke to Bokuto, voice threatening.

“Technically he didn't say anything” Kuroo noted.

“You shut up too” Akaashi stood from his chair. “Kenma was right, it's way too early”.

“Oh my god everyone's so mean. I'm going to cry” Kuroo sniffed, pulling his knees to his chest. 

But stopped when Kenma put down his game and made grabby motions in the air. He gasped and jumped up, running over to pick up Kenma and replace him in his lap.  
Kenma then resumed his game and promptly ignored him as Kuroo made soft humming noises, rubbing his cheek on the top of his head.

“That could be us but you playin” Bokuto gestured to the couple and then back at Akaashi who was organising papers for his next clients.

“Bokuto i'm not free to give you a tattoo for another month” Akaashi folded his arms and he stalked towards the machine. Bokuto tenses in his chair. “So could we please?”.

Bokuto sucked his teeth and looked around the room nervously while Akaashi picked up a new pair of gloves, sliding them onto his hands and snapping them down.

“I'll talk to you for a distraction” Kuroo raised a hand in the air and grinned.

“O-okay just make the conversation really good” Bokuto nodded and Kuroos grin morphs into a malevolent smirk. He shifts Kenma off his lap into the other waiting seat and leans forward, elbows on his knees.

“If I ever poured you juice, just know that I took a little sippy sip before giving it to you”.

“You what!?” Bokuto yelped, just as the buzzing on the gun started up, and Akaashi pressed it to the outline of the owl he had drawn on previously.

“I cant help it, I want to make sure it tastes nice before I give it to some one, and besides, its always delicious” Kuroo whined.

“Delicious, finally some good fucking food” Kenma muttered.

Bokutos face went slack as Akaashi moved the gun with precision, slowly marking the horns of the owl first.

“New topic, new topic” Bokuto bit his lip.

“Er, uh” Kuroo looked around wildly. “Clowns?”.

“I can't believe clowns are real, what the fuck” Bokuto groaned and clenched his fist.

“Oh, did you just discover mirrors” Kuroo grinned.

“This is not helping” Bokuto griped. He released a yelp when Akaashi dragged the needle along a little.

But then Bokuto was breathing steadily, leg bouncing on the floor with determination.

“Is he okay?” Kenma asks, cocking an eyebrow at Akaashi.

“Well when you get a tattoo you may have increased heart rate, have jitters or a restless feeling. The adrenaline in your body forces you to feel less pain and you can even feel like your senses are heightened” Akaashi tells them, still concentrating hard.

The buzzing is always a relaxing noise to Akaashi and he cant tell if its doing the same for Bokuto now. Although he is smiling.... Wether its smiling through the pain or from the endorphins, he doesn't know.

“Wow, thats interesting. What else?” Kuroo asked, curiously.

“He could also be feeling a little stronger” Akaashi shrugs and takes the needle away to look at the start of his handy work. He wipes and then replaces the gun.

“So technically he could turn around and knock the gun to the ground and beat everyone here up” Kenma snorts, mashing away at the buttons of his game.

“I could do that already” Bokuto grins. “ I especially could take on Akaashi, gun or not”.

“Watch what you say or I might end up tattooing clifford the big red dog instead” Akaashi deadpans.

“You wouldn't” Bokuto gasps and tensing in his chair.

“I'll make it look like an accident. Oh no my hand slipped!” Akaashi smirks, and he lines the gun up again after another wipe.

“Ripperoni” Kenma smirks.

After just an hour the design is done, the details are flawless and inked into the back of the owl, giving a sense of realism and depth. Akaashi pulls away the needle with a happy smile.

He places the gun to the side and picks up a handheld mirror and slides it behind his own head. Brushing up a few of the longer curls at his nape, he can say that it was a success and the horned owl looked very majestic indeed.

“You're all done” Akaashi hands the mirror to Bokuto and rounds the chair. He strips off his gloves and stretches his fingers. They feel a little cramped and a little sore. He could probably say Bokuto felt worse from sitting there still for a whole hour.

Bokuto stretches his arms in the air and leans to the side, bringing them down again when he winces from the sensitiveness on his neck.

Akaashi is careful to edge around a sleeping Kuroo and Kenma in their waiting chairs, heads propped against each others as they lean inwards.

“Ahh! This is whack, Kaashi!” Bokuto exclaims, angling the mirror.

“I hope thats your way of saying I did a good job” Akaashi shakes his head with a smile as he slips on a pair of new gloves. He picks up an ointment and rounds the chair again.

“Hmm, is it done yet?” Kuroo mumbles. He lifts his head and yawns, Kenmas head sliding down to rest upon his shoulder with a groan.

“Don't wash it for 48 hours and even after, try not to have to long showers, okay? A little water wont hurt, but still” Akaashi wipes the liquid over the tattoo and Bokuto winces.

“How am I gonna remember that? Maybe we need to shower together so you can remind me” Bokuto wiggles his eyebrows.

“How is he so dumb but so smooth” Kuroo grimaces.

Akaashi shoots a smile at Kuroo and then turns back with the gauze, laying it loosely over the tattoo and securing it with medical tape.

“Hey, how long do I have to go without exercising again?”. Bokuto

“At least two days” Akaashi answers.

“TWO DAYS?”. Bokuto turns to give him an astonished expression.

“Is that a lot?” Akaashi discards his second pair of gloves, looking towards Kuroo with question. Because he knows if he asks Bokuto, he'll get more outraged cries.

“Exercising is like an addiction to Bo” Kuroo laughs. His eyes peer at Kenma who is still half dozing, and he tucks a strand of hair behind his ear, careful not to disturb him.

“I need to stay fit for volleyball, and to maintain these guns”. Bokuto stood out of his chair and flexed a bicep.

“And what about you Kuroo, do you work out for volleyball?”. Akaashi asked as Bokuto walked around, stretching his legs with moans and cries of relief from having to sit still so long.

“I tend to drag myself through the pain yes” Kuroo clicked his tongue.

“Truly spoken like Kenmas soul mate. A perfect match” Akaashi chuckled, and he placed away his equipment, chucking out the now used needle.

“If we were a perfect match, he would slob in bed all day and play video games with me” Kenma mumbled.

“Someone has to take care of you!” Kuroo nudged him, and Kenma glared offensively at the poke.

“Kenma is not that helpless” Akaashi rolled his eyes, sitting down in the empty leather seat. Finally a rest.

“What's a broccoli?” Kuroo directs the question at Kenma, who is now sitting up and rubbing his eyes, blearily.

“Huh? The green thing obviously” Kenma tilts his head.

“Kenma, name one other vegetable” Akaashi demands.

“Tomato” Kenma blinks.

Akaashi turned to look at Kuroo with bewilderment, who just nodded somberly.  
“He’s hopeless”

“Two days of exercise” Bokuto repeats with a groan. He perches on the arm of Akaashis chair, and it squeaks precariously underneath his weight. Akaashi pretends not to be dismayed.

“That means two days off volleyball training” he whines.

“And i'm saying two days at least. It depends on your progress” Akaashi notes, raising his eyebrows in warning. Bokutos posture slumps even more.

“That is kind of rough since we have a game in a week” Kuroo tuts, and he pulls his phone out his pocket when it gives a terse buzz.

“is this university aiming for championships?” Akaashi puts a mildly troubled frown. 

Bokuto had been training more and more, and seeing Keiji less and less. And from what it sounded like, it's only going to get worse. 

“Of course! we qualified already” Bokuto perks up.

“Hey” Kuroo leans over and taps Bokutos shoulder, and he turns to him with a puzzled face.

“Coach texted me and practice is back on, we gotta head out, buddy” Kuroo smiles apologetically.

Bokutos face glowers and he gives a deep sigh. Akaashi knows it's because he'll only be able to sit in to listen and watch rather than play. 

But also because his and Bokutos schedules were hard to match sometimes. He had to start work soon anyways, so it wasn't the biggest bust.

Akaashi leans over and squeezes his arm, reassuringly.  
“If you're not too tired then you can come over to mine and Kenmas apartment tonight, okay?”.

“Ugh, it sucks how we have to live in the dorms the rest of this year” Bokuto sulks as Kuroo pulls him to his feet. He turns around and silently waves to Akaashi, who lightly smiles back.

“We signed up before we knew Akaashi was moving to the area this year. Besides, you and Akaashi always end up staying the night at one place and Kenma and I at the other” Kuroo chuckles and he drags Bokuto towards the door.

“Maybe we could get one big apartment, all four of us!” Bokuto suggests, excitedly.

“No, you snore and I have no doubts it can make its way through a few walls” Kuroo deadpans, and the two of them walk out the tattoo parlors on Bokutos disgruntled protests.

The door shuts and it leaves the room in a static silence in which the only sounds heard are the moderately quiet effects from Kenmas hand held game.

Akaashi inhales deeply, enjoying the calm atmosphere. It had never been awkward moments and unwarranted talk between the two. They could find themselves enjoying each others company as a sort of disjunction from their two eccentric boyfriends. 

But sadly he'll have to kick Kenma out soon for his first client of the day. Not everybody enjoys some random person sitting on their tattoo session, especially if its their first one.

Akaashi opened his mouth to speak.

“Dont worry I'll be out of your hair soon enough. Just finishing a water dungeon level” Kenma says without lifting his head, and Akaashis jaw snaps shut.

“How is the professional gaming working out?” he asks.

Kenma clicks his tongue.  
“Kuroo tells me how awesome it is to have a sugar daddy. I literally brought him one pizza”.

Akaashi laughs benignly and he shifts to stand up. He moves around the room and collects supplies. He might as well sterilize the place a second time, just in case. Cleanliness was key.

“Y'know Kuroo was telling me how he was surprised you didn't join the art program. Apparently the universities one is really good”.

“Oh” Akaashi stops from where he's putting away stencils. “Well, did you tell him that i've found a different way to express myself through art and i'm very happy?”.

“I did” Kenma answers.

“And what did he say?” Akaashi asks, a little petulantly.

“He laughed and said it was funny how the two smartest in high school ended up not going to university and instead jumped straight into work”.

“Hmm” Akaashi twists his mouth. He supposed it was a little weird, but Kenma and him had always been creative on the side, and they ended up incorporating their passions into their life. Just like Kuroo was still studying sciences and Bokuto had gotten through to uni with a sports scholarship for volleyball. 

“Don't worry, I ended up pelting him relentlessly with popcorn” Kenma muttered, and Akaashi snorted just as the first customer of the day walked in.

Later that night Bokuto pulls himself through the door and falls asleep on the couch 10 minutes into a movie. Akaashi strokes trails through his hair and Bokuto snores loud enough to pierce through the walls. 

It ends up being their last night together for a while as Akaashi either ends up having to stay late in the shop and prepare for the next day, or Bokutos practice swallows the remaining free nights as they prepare themselves for the weekends game. But it's okay, they text when they can or sometimes Akaashi rolls back his sleeves at the end of the day to reveal small pen inked hearts.

The weekend rolls around faster than Akaashi thought it would and he's finishing a tattoo job in the late afternoon when he realizes its quite late.

He's going to miss the start of the game, he's going to miss giving Bokuto a pep talk and he's definitely going to put up with Kenmas griping about how he was left alone in the stands.

He hurries out the shop a half hour later, pulling on his coat and not bothering to check the time, because he already knows he's the worst. Especially when he's stepping into the stadium and the team is on their last set.

“You're late” is what Kenma greets him with when he slumps down into the stands next to him.

“And you look like you haven't slept in days” Akaashi retorts. “Oh, sorry, were we not stating the obvious?” he raises an eyebrow as Kenma huffs.

“Somebody's testy today”.

“Sorry” he apologizes, shrugging off his coat. “Bokuto sent me five voicemails before the match and I ran over here with the thought that he had died”.

“Quite the opposite actually. They've made it quite far” Kenma points down towards the game is commencing.

Akaashi is glad they have seats in the front row because he had forgotten his glasses at work in the hasty rush to get out. He can spot the score board and it looks like its a strain going past twenty-five. 

His eyes sweep to the court where the team stands with their backs to Akaashi and Kenma. A serve is shot to their side of their court and Kuroo dives to dig it. The atmosphere is tense and well due past the fun stage, but Bokuto yells out an encouraging cheer and Kuroo grins back.

“Leave it to Bokuto to keep everyones spirits together. That used to be your job” Kenma notes, smugly.

When the next toss is set up, Bokuto runs for it and he delivers a straight, but the fatigue shows in his form and the ball is blocked. He looks a little grave, sweat running a line down his temple, but his smile picks up with a slap to his back and his team mates call a “don't mind”.

Distantly Akaashi thinks that no, it's the whole team that holds each other together.

When it comes to a set point for their team, the anticipation envelops the air. The ball is served and even Akaashi can feel Kenma tense in his seat next to him. 

It's picked up by Yaku who sends it to Oikawa, and then tossed to Iwaizumi. But it's a little hurried, a little short, and when his hand connects with the ball, it also connects with the blockers outstretched hands, tall and looming. 

Just in time, it's saved by Kuroo and he's shouting for it to “make it count!”. Bokuto arrives from the back row and his arms pull back as his foot leaves the floor, pushing himself up into the air.

Akaashis eyes linger at the nape of Bokutos neck, where an inked horned owl sits, wings outstretched as Bokuto swings his arm back just to pull back forward. The space in front of him is clear and the ball slams down over the net and to the floor with a resounding smack.

The surrounding cheers and shouts of the stadium becomes the background noise in Akaashis ears and the pounding of his heart and the rushing of his blood.

And then suddenly the noise rushes back into his ears and he's standing and clapping so hard his hands feel stingy and would surely be stained red a while after. 

Bokuto is being draped in sweaty hugs of his team mates and buoyant laughs, but his head reaches up and his eyes catch Akaashi. They share eye contact and Akaashi smiles softly. Bokuto grins back and he pumps a fist into the air. 

A while later Akaashi and Kenma are waiting in the almost empty foyer when Kuroo and Bokuto make it out of the changing rooms. Kuroo looks tired but content as they make their way over. Bokuto seems to be still riding the high as he picks up his pace upon seeing them.

“Hey, hey, hey!” he yells and brushes his hair out of his eyes where it flops over his forehead. From a previous shower, he guesses.

Akaashi is encompassed in a large hug as Bokuto rushes into him, big warm arms draping around his middle and blanketing him. The smell of shampoo clings to him as well as the invariable scent of just Bokuto.

“You did amazing” Akaashi hums from under Bokutos crushing weight, and when he pulls back, he takes an extra deep breath.

“It was a close game” Kenma says as Kuroo finally approaches the group. Kenma steps forward and the two of them hug, Kuroo sporting a soft grin.

“I can't believe we won” Kuroo chuckles.

“I can” Bokuto pipes in. “How could we not with you on the team” he exclaims, and Kuroo cackles.

“I love you too bro” Kuroo brings him into a bone breaking hug, both of them smiling hard.

“Bromance of the century” Kenma mumbles.

“Anyways” Kuroo clears his throat as they break apart. “The cars outside and trust me when I say I cant wait to get back and sleep for days” he sighs.

“You two go ahead, we'll walk” Bokuto hums, and Akaashi raises his eyebrows in surprise. But he doesn't argue.

“Are you sure, man?” Kuroo asks as they all push out the large double doors and step outside. It's night time now and the cold hits them with a fresh wave of glacial air.

“Yup, yup” Bokuto shoos them off in the direction of the car. Kuroo shrugs a sigh and wraps an arm around Kenma to lead him off, who honestly looks more tired than the two volleyball players themselves.

The darkness of the night was thick and laid over the landscape, the only light being offered from the expansive glass doors and windows behind them. The stars twinkled up in the sky and a chilly breeze surfaced his skin, raising bites of goosebumps tinging on his arms.

His blood ran cold through is veins and his bones chilled. But all of that disappeared when Bokuto turned on his heel to face him and gave him an earnest grin, eyes crinkling at the edges.

And he stepped forward and kissed Akaashi. Victory tasted like the subjugation of something pleasurable, the sweet lingering taste of what Akaashi assumed was chocolate and the kick of pure adrenaline running through his blood.

Bokuto kisses Akaashi in the duskiness of nightfall, the blinding stadium lights shining behind them with the aroma of sweeping triumph. The moment is bountiful and he doesn't want it to end. 

When they do pull apart, Akaashis eyes flutter open and Bokuto is looking at him so admiringly that it brings butterflies to his stomach and his heart coils as he looks away with a faint blush.

“I'm glad you came” Bokuto tucks a curl behind his ear.

Akaashi reluctantly drags his eyes back to Bokuto, even though his face still burns and his movements feel light.

“It felt like I was winning with you. I kind of miss volleyball, so i'm glad I could live my redemption through you” Akaashi chuckles.

“Ahhh!”. Bokuto gushes, slapping a hand over his eyes. “Live with me, Keiji”.

Akaashi blinks a few times.  
“I thought that was the plan already, aren't you moving out your dorm in a few months”.

“Yea, but I just thought maybe I should ask you first”. Bokutos eyes bounce around, not making eye contact. “What do you say?”.

“Hmm” Akaashi taps his chin. “I say yes” he smiles.

And then Bokuto is smiling and leaning in to give him a chaste kiss. Only to start peppering kisses onto his cheeks, his forehead, his cheekbone. 

Akaashi giggles, bringing him into a hug.

“I love you” Bokuto mumbles into his hair.

“I love you too” Akaashi sighs, happily.

And they stand there for a moment, content in their bubble of bliss. He thought back to all those years ago when he was so scared at the even possible thought of a relationship. The thought of having a soul mate, having Bokuto as a soul mate. It had all seemed so long ago. And as much drama they had gone through, they were happy for it.

...

“Bokuto, did you really say we'd walk after you just had a big match”.

“I wasn't thinking, Akaashi!”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.............................. i'm not sad you are.
> 
> Legit i'm posting this and agh my heart feels heavy. It wasn't even a very detailed chapter, yet I don't know why i'm like this. Maybe I need to expand my vocabulary cause i'm not expressing how much I enjoyed writing this book ahaha.
> 
> Anyways, thank you again for everyone who left supporting comments. I'm not lying when I say I wouldn't have written it if I didn't have the encouragement ;-; so again, thank you <3


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